29-01-2025
Taskmaster star and TV comedian Rosie Jones rings in new town comedy night
A sold-out night starring one of television comedy's biggest names has marked a successful expansion for Swindon's Old Town Comedy Club.
The space above The Hop pub - a long-forgotten loft bar - was the most packed it's ever been as Taskmaster and Live at the Apollo's Rosie Jones performed new material to a modest sold-out crowd.
The star waxed lyrical about gravy, addressed being a celebrity and meeting other celebrities and talked about both being a lesbian and having a disability in what was a brilliantly put-together and almost fully realised show, considering it was supposed to be her trying things out for the first few times.
She had support from two great locally based comedians Ollie Young and Natalie Prescott, who both did short but sweet sets to get the audience warmed up, as well as Sam himself as MC.
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(Image: Old Town Comedy Club) Rosie's appearance also marked something of a milestone for Sam Michael, who launched Old Town Comedy Club in 2023.
Initially, this was just a monthly 'Fresh Material Night Show' that showcased local and up-and-coming acts - some doing their first-ever stand-up gigs - as well as a 'name' headliner. All for just £5
These proved so popular, selling out each month, that Sam added a bi-monthly professional show at the Christ Church Community Centre which also sells out up to 130 people regularly.
Because of this, Sam has now added a second show at The Hop featuring some of the scene's top names, which was what brought Rosie Jones to town.
Following in Rosie's footsteps are 8 out of 10 Cats' Andrew Bird, Nevermind the Buzzcock's Tony Law, BBC Comedy Central's Tadiwa Mahlunge, Live at the Apollo and The Last Leg's Sara Barron and Dancing on Ice and Taskmaster's Matt Richardson.
These shows are £8 for the early bird price and £10 otherwise and can be found on Eventbrite.
Sam Michael said: 'When I moved here in 2017 I was regularly gigging in places such as Oxford, Bath and Bristol and so I was excited to see what the comedy scene was like so nearby.
"However, I was left disappointed to find no grassroots comedy clubs encouraging a local scene, especially in a town as big as Swindon! So after lockdown, myself and fellow comedian Michael Kohlweg started running a few open-mic nights which resulted in the full launch of the Swindon Old Town Comedy Club in 2023.
"My ethos is to create comedy events in the town which will attract all sorts of acts, from those starting out in comedy to the stars of Live at the Apollo! Most importantly, I wanted to make comedy affordable.
"Tickets for our pro weekend shows are as little as £12.00 and our shows at The Hop only £5.00.'
For more information find Swindon Old Town Comedy Club on Facebook or on Instagram @oldtowncomedyclub
