British Comedy Guide

The Jungle Comedy Lock-In launches in London this April

The Jungle Comedy Lock-In. Russell Hicks

A new comedy night is launching in London this April, but it's a bit different from a normal comedy club setup.

The Jungle Comedy Lock-In will utilise the same stage as The Choir Of Man, the Olivier Award-nominated musical set in The Jungle pub. It's running at Arts Theatre, the West End venue near the Leicester Square tube station. Once the stage show has finished, the comedians move in, performing their routines on the set that has a working bar.

Promoters Colourful Content has organised gigs for Friday and Saturday nights across April (5, 6, 12, 13, 19 & 20th). The shows run from 9:45pm to 11pm. If you arrive earlier than the show's start time, you can even order your drink from the bar that is on the stage.

Confirmed acts across the six shows include Slim, Kane Brown, Red Richardson, Abi Clarke, Harriet Kemsley and Andrew Mensah, with more to be announced soon. Russell Hicks and Lee Peart are the hosts.

The Jungle Comedy Lock-In. Slim

Slim, who will headline the opening weekend, says: "I went to see The Choir Of Man when The Jungle Comedy Lock-In idea was initially put forward, and I was blown away by it. If we manage to capture even a fraction of that energy in our show, it's going to be an unforgettable evening."

Russell Hicks (pictured top), who will MC some of the shows, comments: "I love melding the world of theatre and stand-up comedy. What's great is now I can technically say I've performed on a West End musical stage. The way we are booking it too, with the acts being fresh and up and coming, it's great to get to see so much new talent. Plus, I've got a tour coming up which includes the Leicester Square Theatre so I'll be promoting that shamelessly".

Jay Pond-Jones, the producer behind these innovative nights, notes: "I'm all about elevating stand-up comedy to the artistic recognition it deserves, beyond the confines of sticky floors and impersonal arenas. I'm really excited that The Arts Theatre and The Choir Of Man share that vision".

Brian Hook, the Choir Of Man producer, adds: "The Choir Of Man is a show about community, togetherness, and fun - and there's no better place for a comedy lock-in than our pub: The Jungle. We're delighted to welcome new artists to our family and have more ways for audiences to connect with us!"


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Published: Thursday 28th March 2024

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