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Jason
Cook’s Comedy Club celebrates a year of success!
Jason Cook's Comedy Club
South Shields Customs House
Saturday 8th October 2016
Jason
Cook’s Comedy Club aims to sell out another gig this October, after a
successful 12 month run and it’s first summertime comedy festival.
The
comedy club, set up by it’s namesake, comedian and writer of BBC2’s Hebburn is hosting
another bill of top flight international standups this October at the Customs
House in South
Shields.
 |
| Jason Cook & The Custom House's Ray Spencer MBE |
And
it’s a special show marking the 1st birthday of the biggest comedy
club in the North East.
Cook
said “I set it up after we had done a fundraiser for the Customs House. It’s
such a great room for stand up. When it’s cooking, it’s one of the best stages
in the country to find yourself on”.
Cook
also says it’s one of the cheapest considering it’s high quality lineups. “I
pay the acts well, they are the cream of the comedy scene, and because the
theatre is huge, we are able to keep the prices down so it makes top end comedy
affordable for everyone. Most clubs charge double for the kind of bills we put
on but that’s not why I wanted to set the thing up. I love putting a show on,
the money thing is secondary to me”.
The
club has an immaculate record of sell out shows, featuring stars from Live at
the Apollo, 8 out of Ten Cats and even local superstar Chris Ramsey has been
known to pop in if he’s trying new material.
“It’s
the reputation of the audience that’s bringing the comics here now. When we
started, I was just asking my mates for favours, but now they are all ringing
me asking me when they can play it. That’s the crowd that builds that, nowt to
do with me. These aren’t normal comedy gigs, it’s like a party, and I’ve
brought some funny mates along to meet everyone, the atmosphere is like nothing
I’ve seen anywhere else”
Such
is the power of said audience that Cook managed to organise the inaugural South
Tyneside Comedy Festival this summer, with over 3,000 tickets being sold.
“For
our first year, that’s about double what I thought we’d get. But we played it
the same as the comedy club, kept the ticket prices low and watched the rooms
fill up.”
The
festival featured, amongst others, Sarah Millican, Chris Ramsey, Mock the
Week’s Gary Delaney, The Chase’s Paul Sinha and 4 time Edinburgh Comedy Award
nominee James Acaster.
“It
was incredible fun, we’ve already had meetings about next year’s featival.”
Cook added. “But the size of it comes down to which companies we can get to
sponsor us.”
 |
| Mick Ferry |
But
for the birthday gig, Cook has enlisted comedians Mick Ferry and Markus Birdman
to entertain the people of Tyneside. The NETG reviewed Mick’s recent gig in Newcastle earlier in the month and
we really enjoyed his set: (NETG REVIEW LINK)
“Mick
is incredible, he was voted the “Comedian’s Comedian” by all the comics in the
industry. I’ve known him for over a decade and he’s one of those comics who
I’ve never seen have a bad gig. He’s the kind of guy our audience loves, a down
to earth, working class bloke with a glint in his eye. Have been trying to get
him since we started the club but his diary is so full it’s only now that we’ve
been able get him.”
 |
| Markus Birdman |
The
other headliner (Cook’s shows feature two headline quality acts “because I
literally have no business sense, apparently I should be thinking about
something called ‘profit margin’ but I prefer a great show” he says) is Markus
Birdman.
“Markus
is signed to the same agency that represents John Cleese and Ben Elton, and
with good reason, he can make audiences weep with laughter with apparently no
effort whatsoever. He’s a true globetrotter and he’s often in Australia, Holland, pretty much anywhere
that has a high profile festival is where you’ll find him. He has at least a
dozen jokes I wish I’d thought of, and I’ve died on my arse at least half a
dozen times trying to follow him.”
In
the middle is Nick Dixon, recently signed to The Comedy Store’s management
company, the biggest brand in comedy.
Tickets
are available at the Customs House and are selling fast.
“We
usually do a hundred on the day the gigs go on sale so people better get in
fast to get tickets for this one, it’s going to be incredible”.
Tickets:
Tickets
cost £9.50. Call the Box Office or 0191
454 1234 or book online at
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