Preview: Laughing Cows with Hayley Ellis
The festive season may be upon us but there’s still chance to take in some Laughing Cows comedy this month in Glossop, with a special headline set from Manchester’s own Hayley Ellis.
Hosted by resident Laughing Cows compere Kerry Leigh, the show will take place at Glossop’s The Globe Inn on the Saturday 27 December.
Originally from North Wales, Ellis began performing stand up in 2009 and has come on fast since those open spot gigs. Her wry conversational style has seen Ellis become a regular contributor to XFM’s breakfast show, and earlier this year she debuted her first solo show – We Need To Talk About Kevin – at the Edinburgh Fringe.
Laughing Cows began life in London in 1998, when founder Hazel O’Keefe took up the gauntlet thrown down by a well-established club promoter, after he confessed he wouldn’t “risk” booking two female acts to play the same bill.
O’Keefe set up her first club within the bar she was then running in London. A few years later she returned to her native Manchester where she opened an additional club. Sixteen years on there are Laughing Cows club nights all over the country including Edinburgh, Cardiff, Shrewsbury, Liverpool, Uttoxeter and Todmodern as well as in Berlin and Belgium.
Not content with promoting existing female talent, Laughing Cows also operates a new act night, Laughing Calves. Both Hayley Ellis and Kerry Leigh cut their teeth there, while Sarah Millican was a resident MC early in her career. Laughing Cows continues to host to big name comics, such Jo Brand, Jenny Éclair, Janice Connolly, Donna McPhail, Gina Yashere, Isy Suttie, Shappi Khorsandi and Jo Caulfield.
Of the club Isy Suttie noted: “I have always loved gigging for Laughing Cows, they have such a love of comedy and look after the acts so well. As a consequence the gigs are a joy to play because they’re not out to make a fast buck; they really care that everyone – acts and audience – have as much fun as possible.”
Laughing Cows with Hayley Ellis and compere Kerry Leigh: Saturday 27 December, 8pm, The Globe Inn, Glossop. £5 early bird tickets, £7 advance, £9 on the door. Tickets also available from Praze on the High Street West.
