Belly laughs at Jongleurs, Richmond Theatre

With a couple of drinks inside me on Thursday after a panic-to-get-everything-done-before-Easter four day week I was ready for some light relief. And I thoroughly enjoyed an evening where I laughed so hard the tears streamed down my face…

Our MC for the evening was jeans and check shirt clad with a suitably straddling gait Rob Collins who made some appropriate cracks about the posh bits of Richmond and its environment before getting onto the safe turf of getting drunk. Fabulous rapport with the audience – with great lines delivered with lightening ease (e.g. to an attractive young girl - “How old are you? 18? I have ambitions older than you! And you are now one of my ambitions”). In later sessions he mentioned that he was a recovering alcoholic who owned a pub in Covent Garden (The Nell Gwynne – look for the Titanic bell).

Aaron Counter was first in the line up – a young, well spoken comedian who mentioned that he usually did University crowds. Using his home in Kensington with numerous gags about his girlfriend and sleeping on the sofa he also did some good lines on dinner parties and wine. I especially liked his stories about swimming home after excessive drinking, how you think about your “shareholders” (parents who have helped set up home with your girlfriend) before misbehaving and the joys of days gone by and audio cassettes.

Sean Meo, the most confident comedian of the evening with brilliant delivery and material, got straight into alcohol induced mishaps like driving an ambulance home (great wisecrack about “Insulin? I’m going to Chiswick Mate!”), using the disinterested voice of the public transport system to apologise to your girlfriend and irritation with the American “Go for it!” style of staff at coffee shops. My sides were aching from so much laughing as we had a quick interval.

Last up was Ricky Grover – an East End former hairdresser and boxer. Awed by the Richmond theatre’s loveliness he climbed over chairs to reach a (female) member of the audience. Dealt with an ageing, posh heckler with fast quips about sat navs and ended with some energetic boxing feats. Excellent!

It was a really great evening – laughing is so good for the soul! OK, some of the material wasn’t too PC but no one appeared to be offended (they wouldn’t dare!). Make sure next time Richmond hosts one of the one-off events you get tickets – you won’t be sorry.

Just round the corner to Richmond Theatre are two great pubs – The Duke does great food and attracts a slightly older, better off crowd (and sometimes the Richmond Theatre cast members) whilst next door is The Lot where you need to be either a very trendy student or a hardened pool player with the ability to talk over loud (but good) music.

There are so many other great comedy venues in London – it’s hard to pick out a couple to mention. One of my favourites is The Comedy Club near Leicester Square and nearer to home there’s the Bear Cat Comedy Club based at The Turks Head (great pub) in St Margarets across the river from Richmond. And they are playing tonight!