The economic downturn and forecasts of a recession could be leading people to seek relief from live comedy, club organisers have said.
The Stand has reported a 2% increase in audience numbers overall for its shows in Edinburgh and Glasgow for November.
And comic Bruce Fummey said the crisis was a source of comic material. He has found the financial climate a good source of new material and has a joke about Chancellor Alistair Darling’s eyebrows and how Mr Darling wakes from a night out to find he is missing the 47bn he had in his pocket.
Tommy Sheppard, of The Stand, said: “The rise could mean a margin of error, but there is no sense of people staying away as a result of the credit crunch.” He believed the club had been busier than usual.
Mr Sheppard said: “I would say numbers are slightly up. I looked at the last four weeks and, compared to November last year, we were 2% up overall and 8% up in Edinburgh.”
“There could be an element of people saying let’s have a laugh, but live comedy is also relatively cheap entertainment.”
A few references on the economic downturn have made it into some routines, but Mr Sheppard said economics were not an obvious source for comics.
He said: “A couple of months ago when there was talk and reports of a 500bn bail-out for banks I think most people, and comedians, found it hard to get their heads around that. It just seemed so other worldly.
Bruce Fummey, who is involved with the Just Laugh Comedy Clubs in Dundee, Perth and Stirling and previously in Inverness, said he hoped people fed up with talk of a recession would seek out live comedy.
Just He said: “Going to a comedy club is a relatively inexpensive night out. It is 9-10 to get in and you don’t tend to drink much because you are sitting watching the comedy so the night can work out for less than 20.
“How much would you pay for a meal at a restaurant? And then you go home and complain about the service, the meal and the bill. “
“A comedy club is good value for money and is a social experience.”
In October, the BBC Business website reported how as the credit crunch spread feelings of fear and powerlessness, some are turning to humour as the only escape.
The economic downturn and forecasts of a thomas sabo onlineshop recession could be leading people to seek relief from live comedy, club organisers have said.
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