Review: DRYGATE COMEDY, Drygate, Glasgow

Glasgow has some excellent comedy nights but Drygate Comedy is something a little bit special. Curated by Gilded Balloon (recently voted best venue at Edinburgh Fringe by BWW readers) gives audiences a chance to see fantastic comedy all year round.

MC Jojo Sutherland makes for the perfect host. It was a relatively small crowd for a Friday night and she took the time to speak to every audience member- and has a remarkable memory for names! This sort of interaction normally gives me the fear but it was all done in good humour and never with ridicule.

First up onstage is Keir McAllister. Not all of his jokes land but most do and his set is very quick paced. Second on the bill, Jamie Dalgleish's regional comedy goes down a treat. He remarks that its a particularly middle-class audience for the east end of Glasgow- as we have all our own teeth. Headliner Mark Nelson makes references to it being a quiet audience but gives a strong set with an anecdote about his young daughter proving the biggest hit.

The format of the evening ensures that there is enough variety with the comics. If an act isn't quite your cup of tea then they're not on for too long and although it was all stand-up, there were several different comedy styles here. There was also a decent length of interval between the first two acts and headliner which gave the evening quite a relaxed vibe.

The venue is laid out with cabaret seating and offers table service throughout the show. The setup is very respectful to the acts as the system is to note down your order and then hold it up for the bar staff to collect. There's a fairly extensive drinks list and a good selection of craft beer and cider (as you might expect for a comedy night staged in a brewery). It was a fantastic evening for £12.50 per ticket and there are also combined ticket and meal deals with the adjoining restaurant.

Drygate Comedy is back on December 1st. See website for booking details.

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