Friday Night @ The Frog And Bucket

Frog & Bucket Comedy Club

I think I should make it clear, that as a comedian myself, I am not here to critique the acts. My angle is far more of an overall round-up of the night so that punters know what to expect. Having said that the comedy was superb, so I’ll stick to complements; I believe The Frog and Bucket to be the North West’s premier comedy club. It’s both professional and hilarious in equal measure.

I went on a Friday, which is considered a ‘weekend’ gig. Every Friday and Saturday the audience is treated to four of the most accomplished acts on the circuit, with regular acts being: Jason Cook, Dan Nightingale and Mick Ferry. However it’s not just the acts which are up to scratch – when you arrive you are ushered to your seats by the Frog’s more than friendly staff; there’s cabaret seating throughout the auditorium so you can always see the stage and/or one of the giant screens with the stage projected onto it; you also get your own table which I think beats the cinema style seating you’d find at The Comedy Store.

The Frog And Bucket isn’t the largest but I find it manages to be intimate without seeming small, which in my eyes is just the right balance. Drinks at the bar also aren’t overly expensive and the bar food is far better quality than you’d expect from a comedy club. Seriously, order some ‘East and West Fries’ – they’re amazing. All this comes at a price – on Fridays it’s £15/£8conc whilst Saturdays are £16 – but personally I don’t think this is a bad price for a night of seamless entertainment in a comfortable space. Also, The Frog and Bucket website lists all the gigs of the coming months, so with a little research you could find your own favourite line-up.

The acts are genuine top quality. Mick Ferry is a seasoned circuit comic and his compere skills are beyond satisfactory – you may have seen him on Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow, not that those ten minutes do justice to the sixteen years of comedy he has behind him. Tony Burgess has also had TV exposure, appearing as a regular character on Johnny Vegas’ Ideal as well as doing voice acting for such franchises as Wallace and Gromit. Sam Gore was the middle comic; some might argue that he might struggle alongside more experienced acts but all Sam would have to do is point you in the direction of his six New Act awards, which he won consecutively within two years.

However, for me Steve Gribbin stole the show. This middle-aged Scouser unassumingly approaches the stage with an acoustic guitar and begins a series of fast paced, satirical song spoofs which poke fun at anything from politics to Morrissey. I am very aware that on paper this doesn’t sound like the show-stopping brilliance that it was, but this man has some serious stage craft under his belt. And if that wasn’t enough, after the acts the tables are cleared to make a dancefloor as the venue becomes a nightclub for the remaining hours.

It’s money well spent whether you’ve got a work night out, a birthday or just fancy a drink and a chuckle. The Frog and Bucket offers a genuinely lovely night of humour and entertainment; it’s comfortable and enjoyable, but for me the real clincher is that it completely lacks the aggressive atmosphere you might find at The Comedy Store. Well done The Frog and Bucket, I salute you.