Laugh Train Home at The Aeronaut

Comedy on Thursday nights in W3

Comedy is a funny old thing, to get everyone in a room laughing together is quite a remarkable feat.

I've been to a variety of comedy clubs over the years and have a lot of time for the very brave souls who put themselves on the line seeking to bring some light relief into everyone's lives. I know I certainly couldn't do it.

So I was in good humour and a state of relaxed positivity when myself and a few friends visited The Aeronaut for the Thursday comedy night 'Laugh Train Home'.

Every week some of the best comedians from the circuit and TV appear in W3. In the past names have included Josh Widdicombe, Bob Mills & even Bobby Davro.

On our night the comedians were George Rigden, Paul Taylor and headliner was Bobby Mair.

Sarah Iles was MC and did her best to try and warm up a rather cool audience. I don't think the layout of the room helps. We were seated in rows (think school assembly hall) as opposed to more convivially around tables. I think this particular design is rigid and not relaxed and immediately puts you in an 'us and them' type scenario.

So, as to the first acts.. well.. they were just about ok I'd say. Nothing particularly memorable and nothing really hilarious. We had a few chuckles but sadly it was no way near big belly laughs as I have come to expect.

The problem really started when the main act, Canadian Bobby Mair, began. Now I may be wrong but in my book comedians should be able to deal with hecklers in a suitably amusing manner.

I put my hand up, yes, it was me that caused the problem. When Mair started what I knew was going to be a diatribe about how rubbish Birmingham is, I simply shouted 'predictable.' Now I have been known to heckle before, and yes I know it can be very boring for the rest of the audience, but it can often prove to be quite sparky and fun.

This was entirely the opposite. I must have touched a raw nerve and instead of bouncing back with a witty retort and moving on, Mair appeared to take my comment to heart. He also wouldn't let it drop and kept coming back through the rest of his set to 'have a go' at me.

It wasn't clever and it wasn't funny. Having realised I must have upset him I did try and see him afterwards to apologise, but he ran off.

Now don't get me wrong, I really was sorry if I had ruined his set, and his night, but to be quite honest comedians are generally made of much tougher stuff.

So it was a funny old night... but it wasn't a 'funny' night if you get my gist!

Don't let me put you off though. Go and see for yourself.

It's very good value with tickets at just £5 in advance, a lot cheaper than most other comedy nights.

Everyone wants a laugh.. I hope to return in search of one soon and I will try and keep my mouth zipped this time!

Annemarie Flanagan

Coming up

Mar 3rd Adam Bloom - Never Mind The Buzzcocks, Mock The Week, The Comedy Store (Comedy Central)

With Steve Bugeja, Darius Davies, MC Sarah Iles 

March 10th – Mark Dolan – Balls of Steel (C4), The Last Word (More4), The Weekly Show (Radio 4), Show Me The Funny (E4), Fubar Radio. With Adam Rowe and MC Robyn Perkins.

March 17th – Ed Gamble - (Dave’s One Night Stand, Virtually Famous, Sweat the Small Stuff, Russell Howard’s Good News). With Jeff Leach (Big Brother’s Big Mouth – E4), Tom Ward and MC Sarah Iles.

March 24th – David Morgan (I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here NOW! (ITV2), Safeword (ITV2), Viral Tap (BBC2), Sweat the Small Stuff (BBC3), Big Brother’s Bit on the Side (Channel 5), Virtually Famous (E4). 
With Erich McElroy, Jasper Cromwell Jones and MC Robyn Perkins.

March 31st – Josh Howie - (Presenter on Sky’s 'The Movie Geek', new RADIO4 Series: Josh Howie's 'Losing It',  Comedy Central: World Stands Up and Comedy Blue). With Jess Fostekew, Donal Vaughan and MC Sarah Iles.

Lline-ups are subject to change due to TV filmings ...and life. 

3rd March 2016