Free comedy at the Ape & Apple on John Dalton Street, every Wednesday from 8:45.
The Comedy Balloon is in a great central location and offers far more and far better laughs than I expected. ‘Amateur’ comedy, or that which you don’t have to pay for, is always a gamble. You could be privy to the Next Big Thing, or you could just be trapped in a room full of idiots in front of a microphone. Fortunately for me, this week the comedy was brilliant.
With 8 performers, all with different styles of comedy, there was something for everyone. The crowd-teasing wasn’t too intimidating (another factor which can put people off comedy in close quarters) and the acts got better and better. It was such a busy night that there were people stood up, or sat on the floor, so it was an undeniable success. My personal favourites were a Tory impersonator who was ‘down with the kids’ and the last two acts. Even the performers who weren’t (in my humble opinion) as good, were often just as funny due to their lack of success. After every bad joke, there follows the silence of the crowd’s rejection, and then real laughter at the awkwardness of the situation, as well as an appreciation for the poor performer to stand their ground and carry on with the show.
I would thoroughly recommend this night, and am excited to go again and see what other talent the Comedy Balloon will serve up next.
CONTACT
For more information, visit www.comedyballoon.co.uk