A cracking night out
The Frog and Bucket is a famous comedy venue in Manchester with an impressive history, with the likes of Jason Manford and Sarah Millican (among many others) having honed their craft at the venue’s weekly comedy nights. Situated just at the top of the Northern Quarter on the corner of Oldham and Great Ancoats Street, it’s centrally located and a must see if you haven’t been already.
We wanted to grab some food on our way beforehand, but found everywhere full with a waiting list, so we ended up eating at the venue – and we were so glad we did. The food was great quality with such good value for money. The fare is pizza and burgers mainly, but it was all good quality and well cooked. The pizza was great with a crispy thin crust. The service was exceptional; you don’t expect to be taken to your seat at a comedy night, and all the staff were efficient and friendly. By the time the acts were coming on, there was some excellent music playing with a real buzz about the place. This was a Thursday night, remember (and the night of the EU referendum), so it wasn’t party central, but the crowd was upbeat and excited to see the performers.
Comedians on the night included Pete Otway as compere, Andrew Bird, and Dave Longley as headliner. Chris Cottrel and Andy Burns performed short sets in the middle section of the show. Pete did a great job as compere, albeit hitting some misses with the crowd in places. All the acts were new fathers, so we gained a variety of viewpoints on fatherhood (the good, the bad, and the very very ugly), which was a bit surprising but made for an interesting night. There was a good mix of comedy styles, as well, which was great- the two short acts in the middle did hit a few misses, but they were both entertaining in their deliveries - I quite enjoyed Chris’s somewhat surreal and off-the-wall style of comedy, and Andy’s almost hysterical deliveries were brilliant.
The Frog and Bucket has always prided itself on nurturing new talent, and you can see a future for these two. However, it was clear that the first act and headliner were more seasoned performers, with their acts much more polished and practised. Andrew Bird’s set went quite off-piste several times, after some odd surprises from the audience, which showed a large repertoire and a seasoned performer. Dave Longley was fantastic, mixing brazen honesty and humility with wordplay, shock and killer punchlines. He’s definitely a comedian to look out for again, with a unique style, and subject matter that had a lot of heart for a big guy that himself admitted he looked like a member of the EDL.
Thursday night live is a cracking night out showcasing great comedy talent, and every week you won’t know what to expect. Get yourself down there.
Reviewer: Ben Spencer
Reviewed: 23rd June 2016
