Stand Up For The Weekend with Jarred Christmas & Guests Review

The Comedy Box At The Hen & Chicken

The Comedy Box is the home of great stand-up in Bristol and to prove that its fame has spread at least two-thirds of the audience at the 6.00 pm show on Saturday night weren’t from Bristol. I longed to asked the large and taciturn man in front of us who reluctantly gave up that he came from Yorkshire when prompted by the resident compare, Tom Toal (and fluffer – as he said if you don’t know what this means, Google it or maybe not), if the show was his sole reason for the long train trip but thought better of it.

Fluffed up by Tom, we were ready, we were whooping for the first act, Robin Morgan, a Welshman in disguise as he had no accent and a rather gentle delivery. He was brilliant and worked the room with quiet expertise teasing out the punters who wanted to play and leaving alone those who didn’t. He was so good his slot seemed far too short and he left us with aching sides but still up for more.

Jared Christmas exploded onto the small stage and filled the room; trained in the “performing arts” as he said, his booming voice could probably be heard back in New Zealand from where he hails, although he now lives in Frome. His fast-paced comedy, quick fire jokes interspersed with some great storytelling, kept the audience laughing with no chance to take a breath. His subject range was diverse, the New Zealand army, the benefits of dieting with Baileys, and at one point dare I say it, periods. We loved it.

There can be no better place to see great live comedy than a small and intimate venue like the Comedy Box and I’m pleased to see that good old Bristol is obviously on the map and leading the way to showcase up and coming comedians.

Jacquie Vowles