4 years old, damn, when did this happen. Feels like only yesterday Blizzard was just an idea I was excitedly discussing with Kirstie over Facebook messenger, not really sure if it’d ever get off the ground, or at most be a one-off, short-term show until we ran out of audience and goodwill.
Here we are, 4 years later, surviving a pandemic, multiple lockdowns, 4 Prime Ministers, 3 venues, and going stronger than ever (in terms of reception and audience sizes anyway – I may be anti-capitalist to a fault, as that doesn’t translate to financial success, but I knew early on that wasn’t a metric I particularly cared about beyond the sustainable income necessary to keep us going).
Blizzard Comedy is both one of the most stressful yet rewarding things I’ve ever done – and nights like our spectacular birthday show this week really make it all worth it.
Opening the show, we had long-time friend of the show Bobbie Jones. Bobbie has such a charm and likability to her persona, that you’re bound to have a good time whether she’s telling great queer puns, or recounting going on dates with creepy and unsettling men. Rarely have I encountered someone who can take what sounds like a creepy unsettling experience and make it so whimsically hysterical that you can’t help but cry laughing. Bobbie is fab, and every time she comes back, I never know what she’s going to come out with next, but I know every time is going to be spectacular and better than the last.
Next, we had another favourite of the show Ed Roworth. Ed has been one of the funniest people I’ve ever known long before he started doing live comedy. Despite not gigging very often, Ed is one of the most creative and polished absurdists I’ve had the pleasure to work with. Ed is one of those acts that sounds shit if you try to explain it to anyone – so I won’t do that here, but from the moment he stepped on stage, he had the audience in the palm of his hands, and they were loving every moment of it (which possibly says just as much about the quality of our audience as it does his performance).
I think he summed it up perfectly when he said “I did this at an open mic the other week and got nothing but stunned silence and shock, so I knew you’d love it here”. Genuinely cried, best endorsement our audience has ever had from a comedian – you should all be very proud.
Opening the second section, we welcomed back John Porter. Another act who doesn’t do stand-up as much as he used to these days, but also another act who smashes it out of the park every time he comes back to us. John is such a natural and laid-back performer, keeping you attentive on every one of his words and flowing seamlessly between immaculate ad libs and some of the best stand-up comedy routines you will ever hear.
Another thing I love about this show is that it’s the one exception that so many of my favourite comedians will continue to do even after quitting or at least withdrawing from live comedy. Our shows remind me why I go through so much effort to put them on – and seem to remind others on what live comedy can be at its best. I hope it doesn’t sound arrogant to say that this is my favourite club, and all other comedy clubs are bad, and you should all stop going to them and come to us instead, ‘cause we’re perfect. (That’s not true, there are other great ones, but let me have my moment of pride – it’s a nice break from the self-loathing that usually populates my evenings.)
Next, we had Jono Murray, who is fast becoming one of my favourite creatives in the North full stop. His comedy is deeply personal, covering incredibly dark topics with a gentle charm and natural humour. And his band Austerity Dogs sound like if Sleaford Mods were fronted by Craig Charles in his poetry days. I’m not writing this to promote Jono as a musician, but seriously – if you’re into explicit angry socialist electro-punk like Sleaford Mods or Bob Vylan – check ‘em out, they’re genuinely incredible.
Jono is just the voice of a generation of discontented working-class anarchists in everything he does. At the same time has an unmistakable warmth that makes you feel genuinely included in the routine, without undermining the intensity and gravity of the serious topics he discusses. There are no words, Jono is just the coolest.
Closing the second section, we have a comedian who I’ve looked up to for some time now, Tom Short. I first met Tom as the head of the Comedy Society in my first year at Salford. While I only went to a couple of meetings, there was something about Tom’s understated whimsy, and approach to the creative process that I admired enough to ask him to headline the second ever gig I ran in London.
In that time, I think it’s fair to say we’ve both come leaps and bounds since then – but Tom especially is always brimming with creativity. His latest project really showcases his dedication. Starting with an ambient horror intro, laced in with just the right amount of slapstick physical comedy to relieve the tension, and a number of occulty/magic set pieces that were frankly let down by the short set time. Tom is onto something excellent here, and I for one can’t wait to see more. If only he’d come back in a few months to do an hour or something. (follow @BlizzardComedy on Facebook & Twitter for more on that 😉)
Opening our final section, we have yet another Blizzard favourite (this should just be a given at this point). Katie Mitchell is the comedian I wish I was in many ways. Taking dark whimsy to the next level, committing to some excellent alternative comedy in the truest sense of the term, whilst propping up the weirdness with some incredibly tight joke writing along the way, meaning that even if you’re not a weird goth lesbian (although that is our primary demographic, so if you’re not one of them, I’m amazed you’ve read this far) you’ll still have a hoot (possibly even more than one if you behave). Katie is a natural comic genius, and we are privileged to live in the same timeline as her.
Our penultimate act was none other than Kath Marvelley. If Katie was a bit too on the weird side for you, Kath grounded things somewhat (but not too much!). Kath’s stage presence is super warm (much like the hemisphere she originated from) but don’t let that catch you off guard. Kath’s set is full of really sharp punchlines and gags that leave many seasoned professionals lacking in comparison. Kath is one of those people who you just enjoy listening to, and her stories will stick with you, leaving a smile on your face and lots of involuntarily chuckles throughout the week as it swims in and out of your short-term memory. She’s just great, we love Kath.
And closing the show, we have a rising star of the circuit Justina Seselskaite. Like Kath, Justina radiates warmth and has a kind of adorableness to her that makes you let your guard down, only to be knocked out by the power of her tightly written punchlines and curated gags. In 10 minutes, Justina left the room wanting more, yet also left a lasting impact that many tour shows don’t quite match. Justina is the kind of comedian you can picture absolutely slaying at the Apollo, as well as winning round the kind of weird alternative audiences that we seem to attract for some reason. Make sure you catch her at a local club near you while you can, as she is frankly too good to be doing our shows for too much longer!
What a stacked line-up to celebrate a whole presidential terms worth of shows. If you missed it – catch the streamed version on twitch.tv/blizzardcomedy on Monday 1st May, and as we enter Edinburgh preview season, why not book tickets to our upcoming shows in May via Outsavvy here: https://www.outsavvy.com/organiser/blizzard-comedy
