A selection of videos from January 2010′s POPCORN COMEDY, a live comedy night featuring a top class mixture of video and live stand-up comedy.

This month’s live acts were Dan Antopolski and ‘Tommy and The Weeks’.

And if you’ve got a video you think we should feature, get in touch here, on our facebook page or Twitter @popcorncomedy

Enjoy the playlist…

If someone invited me to join them for a bit of a laugh in a disused toilet, I’d probably think twice before agreeing. Fortunately, this time, I had no need to decline the offer as Popcorn Comedy took over the Ginglik in Shepherd’s Bush.

Housed beneath the fairy light-strewn railings of an old Victorian toilet, the Ginglik seemed the ideal venue. Underground, a bit quirky, a projector screen and enough plastic garden furniture to make Alan Titchmarsh weep. As people started to filter down the stairs, I could tell it was going to be a good night. After all, we had Fergus Craig, Robert Popper, and Idiots of Ants sandwiched between two healthy slices of viral comedy to look forward to.

Highlights from the night’s video haul included Dr Broon’s A-team parody ‘The I Say! Team’, which replaced the soldiers of fortune with Terry Thomas, Leslie Phillips, Kenneth Williams, and Sid James, the latest video from Auto-Tune the News, who if you haven’t seen before you should definitely check out, and a trailer for Richard Curtis’ horror movie project The Vicar of Dibley, by Jon Harvey.

My picks of the night were an out-take from the upcoming Al Campbell /Dawson Brothers ComedyLab about the ineptitude of man, a funky old-style animation called ‘Dancing Jack’ from Trunk Animation, and a warning about bad videos from Studio 8. But the best of the night for me was RickYune’s WKD advert, featuring the wife-beating antics of Ray Winstone in Nil by Mouth. He really has got a WKD side.

First live act Fergus Craig used his time on stage to show us his home movies and perhaps explain how the Fergus that stood before us came to be. An all-singing, all-dancing five-year-old Fergus showed his performance background, while his joy at receiving a plastic bag for Christmas explained everything else. The addition of Coldplay over the nostalgia proved that even the happiest of memories can be bleached by some X-Factor-style editing.

Star of the night, however, was Peep Show producer, Look Around You co-conceiver and serial timewaster Robert Popper. Not a stand up by trade, but funny obviously runs through this man’s veins. A video phone call as his alter-ego Robin Cooper involving a travel agent, a mechanical box and plenty of swaddling was a treat, bettered only by Robert’s first-ever live prank call as Mr Cooper. He tried mighty hard to get into a dialogue with The Ritz Hotel in that high-pitched voice, but unfortunately couldn’t get very far. Luckily, it was probably funnier than if he’d actually managed to fool them. Exciting, unpredictable magic.

Edinburgh favourites Idiots of Ants – despite being two men down – rounded off the night with some short, silly songs, including one about manilla envelopes, and a couple of well-produced, but fairly safe, videos compared to the rough charm of the other videos on show, ensuring everyone left satisfied.

I hope the next time I visit a disused toilet is as much fun.

Words: Ian Ravenscroft of Dice Productions

A pick of the best films from the last 6 months, plus live comedy from;

Adam Buxton – BBC 6 Music, The Adam and Joe Show

Graham Linehan – Writer of Father Ted, Big Train, The IT Crowd and Black Books.

Doc Brown – “Could yet be the Bill Bailey or Tim Minchin of rap.” – Chortle. Continue Reading

Loads of funny films plus live comedy from;

Dan Antopolski – “Spectacular displays of verbal pyrotechnics … A confident, splendidly silly and sometimes dazzling show.” – The Observer

Tommy and the Weeks – “Few since Spike Milligan have had Weeks and Bell’s ability to flip us into unexpected comic universes.” – The Guardian

Continue Reading

Loads of funny films plus live comedy from:

Robert Popper – BAFTA winning comedy producer, writer and actor, author of The Timewaster Letters

Idiots of Ants – “The slickest and most consistently funny sketch group around” – Time Out

Fergus Craig – Winner of the 2008 Hackney Empire New Act of the Year

Full Details:

GINGLIK
1 Shepherds Bush Green
London, W12 8PH

http://www.ginglik.co.uk/ Doors open at 7pm, for an 8pm start. TICKETS FROM HERE: http://www.wegottickets.com/event/63961

“Popcorn Comedy does the hard work for us, offering a monthly selection of the strongest, sharpest and funniest videos online. And instead of the usual 320 by 240 pixels, here they’ll be transposed to the altogether more satisfying platform of a full-size cinema screen, and mixed with live performances.” The Guardian

“Popcorn is such a good idea you almost can’t believe it’s the only club like it.” Spoonfed.co.uk

Past Event Gallery

Loads of funny films plus live comedy from:

Tom Basden – “A Comedy Genius” – The Guardian, Fringe First Award Winner 2009

Anna and Katy – “They are both unfathomable skilful actors with brilliant comedy faces” ***** – Fest

Full details:

Thursday 5th NOVEMBER, London 8pm
ROXY BAR & SCREEN
128-132 Borough High Street
London, SE1 1LB

To book a table for dinner, please phone 020 7407 4057 or email bookings@roxybarandscreen.com

Past Event Photo Gallery

Live Acts; Peter Serafinowicz, Robert Popper, Josie Long, Holly Walsh.