Described as “alt comedy clown weirdos”, Club Wormhole sits among a whole lineup of unique comedy offerings to be found in Nottingham. Their events, each built around a different theme, promise a night of laughs and entertainment delivered by their talented group of comedians. After being recommended their events, I attended their May show to experience it for myself.
Club Wormhole meets once a month, with each show being completely different with its own unique theme. My interest was piqued by past concepts alone, such as the recent Easter-themed twist on Die Hard (aptly named ‘A Good Friday to Die Hard’) and ‘Reptiles and Rulebooks’, focusing on tabletop games. This month’s theme was ‘Wormhole Wireless Club’, an homage to 50s-era radio broadcasts presented by a pair of radio hosts and interspersed with different thematic segments. Creating a new theme each month allows the comedians to flex their creative muscles in different scenarios, proving just how much effort goes into each monthly gig.
Going down the Wormhole’s intimate setting
As for me, I had no idea what I was walking into. To be honest, the thought of attending a gig like this solo was outside my comfort zone – yet any previous assumptions were immediately left at the door upon my arrival. The venue, a corner cafe turned creative hub in Nottingham, was more open and communal than I had envisioned, with others gathered in pre-show chatter. I sat down to wait and was promptly approached by a Wormhole regular, who welcomed me in before we all moved from the front bar to our seats. We packed ourselves into a cosy room at the back of the bar, with the stage only several feet away from us, allowing the comedians to address us individually. This made for a very intimate event, where the line between audience and performer was often blurred as we became involved ourselves, which certainly made it more fun to be in the room.
Showtime – a consuming experience
The show itself began with an introduction from our hosts and guides for the evening: two wonderfully committed comedians-turned-radio-hosts, Jamie Drew and Ben Macpherson. What followed was a series of routines from other comics, including a set from Bruce Edhouse equipped with a peanut mask, a retelling of Perseus and the Medusa from Rosa Keaton (for which the audience was tasked with creating the sound effects), and a Birmingham-centered murder mystery from Mary Flanigan and Richard Dadd. Each of these sets had approached the theme differently to create an evening of wildly inventive comedy held together by a single unifying subject.
After a rendition of ‘Radio Killed the Newspaper Star’ and a group effort to get through the national anthem, a task the audience – myself included – were vastly underprepared for, the show ended with a set from its headliner Eryn Tett. Her time was the perfect bookend to the evening, highlighted by a running joke of passing a handshake across the room – an attempt quickly consumed by chaos thanks to the audience’s malicious compliance. Following a final singalong to The Proclaimers, the radio broadcast came to an end. Sitting with like-minded people celebrating what we had just witnessed, I began to understand what made a Club Wormhole gig so special.
A real community of absurdity and laughter
Perhaps the most crucial aspect of the show was the audience itself. With so much interactivity invited, it would’ve fallen flat if not for everyone getting involved and embracing the absurdity. Again, the relaxed and open atmosphere was perfect, and by the end of the night we were all shaking hands like we’d known each other for longer than two hours. The fans of Club Wormhole are a community of unique individuals who have bonded over a shared sense of humour.
Ultimately, Club Wormhole felt like a big family. Getting to share the experience with such engaged and welcoming people made the whole event feel so much more fun to attend; the comedians themselves were a part of this too, supporting each other and laughing alongside us. The community created by this comedy club is at the heart of the show, and sharing an adventure with everyone in that room made it a treasured memory. They welcome anyone and everyone to join in and an unforgettably funny evening is all but guaranteed.
