Lord knows, we love to laugh

I've posted before about the awesome folk at St Andrew's Church here in Kettering who have established a thriving arts centre in the church building. As well as the amazing headline comedians we have seen there (Bridget Christie, Shappi Korshandi, Sean Lock, James Acaster, Mark Thomas, Mark Steel, Jeremy Hardy, Marcus Brigstock, Jack Dee etc etc etc), we have also seen some fabulous musicians (Fairport Convention will be there in a  few weeks' time) and some excellent drama.

Last night we were there for the second Rolling in the Aisles (geddit?) Comedy Club. Three comics for a tenner? Yes please. Local real ale? Don't mind if I do. Add in the glorious Rev Nick Wills as compere and, hey, we got us a show!

Last night's top comic, Nick Doody

Last night was bizarre even by Kettering standards: we had an attempt to set the Kettering record for eating baked beans with a cocktail stick, adjudicated by the ghost of Norris McQuirter; a video of Nick the Vic bidding on curiosities on eBay late at night under the influence of alcohol; and the ritual of the three acts choosing how they wanted to be gunned down by a member of the audience at the end of their performance (you had to be there: trust me, it was hilarious).

I'm hoping the the reputation of our arts centre is growing in the comedy family, and certainly if the quality of the performers is anything to go by I'd say it is. It must be odd, though, to be booked to play in a church. You might reasonably expect to find a disused church that has been turned into a venue, or to be performing to an audience of church-goers. Neither is the case. We are comedy lovers whose club just happens to be a building that on other occasions is used for worship. It's brilliant.