Want a laugh? (Comedy Store)

Member Name: frankie1984

Product:	Comedy Store
Date:	04/09/09 (45 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Can be a cheap night out and fun!

Disadvantages: Not all shows are as funny as some

The comedy store in Manchester is a great place for a night out - myself and my friends have had many nights out here and it can be one of the cheaper nights out too which makes it ideal if you haven't got a lot of spare cash!



What is the comedy store?
The comedy store is a company that have two stores - one in London and one in Manchester. They are basically a comedy club venue where you can have a drink, something to eat and watch a comedy performance.



Location:
The location of the Manchester comedy store is in my opinion ideal as it is located in the Deansgate locks. In one of the locks arches, it is just around the corner from Deangate itself and across the road from a tram stop. Piccadilly and Victoria train stations are both about 15 minutes walk away. The GMEX is located right behind the locks and if driving into the city centre there is parking right underneath the GMEX. There is a charge for this car park though so if you can find a space available on the road across from the locks arches this is free after 6pm and is then closer to the comedy store.




Shows:
There are really too many shows to list here but, to make the place inviting, rather than just doing a stand up comedy routine day in and day out the comedy store do different types of stand up shows. This means that generally there is something everyone will enjoy and also as each shoe type is priced differently, something everyone can also afford!
One of my favourite shows is 'King Gong' - this usually takes place every first Sunday of the month and basically involves a load of amateurs getting up and doing their thing in front of the audience. At the beginning of the show two members of the audience are given two big red cards to hold up. The comedian has a 5 minute slot to fill and in this time must manage to keep the audience laughing enough that the big red cards are not shown. Once the audience have decided to hold up both they get booted off by the banging of the big gong!! This is quite a good show because of the fact that you can end up seriously amused by an amateur that you may never have seen before and who turns out to be very good and because sometimes it is quite fun to join in the booing off of somebody who is clearly pants! King Gong is also good for those on a budget as tickets are only £5. The show starts at 8pm and normally runs for around 1 hour and 30 minutes with an interval.
Another favourite of mine is 'new stuff' - hence the name you can guess it is all new stuff and this show is done by regular and sometimes quite well known, comedians who are basically trying out their new gags on the audience. This is even better for those on a really tight budget for want of an evening out as it costs a mere £2! It actually used to be completely free and only recently has had the small charge put on but, of course it is a very cheap night out and as most of the comedians are already very established ones they tend to be more confident on stage anyway than maybe those in King Gong which some people do prefer from a comedian. The jokes are not always hilarious but, you still find the majority have a lot of good stuff! This show takes place every 2nd and last Sunday of every month.
Of course these are just a couple of my favourites - there are shows on nearly everyday and all the full listings usually up to a few months in advance can be checked online and you can also check what meal deals they have when booking food and tickets in advance. You can also see a full list of comedians that play here or have done in the past and you can normally see who will be present at each normal stand up show too!



Getting tickets:
If you live locally you of course can go into the comedy store and purchase tickets in the box office. If not you can go online to buy tickets which then takes you through the ticket master link and of course then you get charged an admin fee! You can always ring to book tickets although I have never done this option so I am not 100% sure if they charge a fee over the phone.



Other stuff:
It is well worth joining the comedy stores mailing list online simply because every month they pick somebody to receive two free tickets to a show of their choice! Each club doe this so it is a pair for the Manchester and London stores. By signing up online you can also then get updates on new shows or if certain comedians are going to be appearing which is ideal if you have a favourite one!




Overall opinion:
I think the comedy store is a great place for a night out - it can be rather cheap so if you are on a budget it is a way of having an evening out without spending too much. If you do want a whole evening rather than just the comedy side of things then you can always have a meal there too although this is something I have never done here so I am not sure of how reasonable prices are. In the past we have eaten in China town and then walked to the comedy store and we always find this a good way to have night out by having a meal elsewhere first followed by an evenings laughter in here!
Overall a great place which makes for a brilliant alternative night out! Recommended!

Summary: Something different!