More laughs at Alcester Comedy tonight
LOCAL funnyman Harvey Hawkins is hoping to put the area on the comedy map with a new regular comedy night - which is on tonight at Alcester Town Hall.
Speaking to Herald arts, Harvey tells us what inspired him to start the club, as it prepares for its second outing following a successful launch night in March.
“I started doing comedy before I started putting on these nights. I was doing gigs all over the country and I realised how much talent there was out there. I wanted to try and bring comedy to areas that don’t ordinarily have comedy around here, you usually have to go to Birmingham or Coventry.”
He continues: “The ambition is to create something the town can get behind and be really proud of.”
Harvey is originally from Balsall Common and now lives in Stratford, where he works as an estate agent when not tickling ribs performing. How did he get involved in comedy?
“I can’t quite put my finger on why I decided to get involved — I’ve always been into it and used to watch a lot of live comedy, and then I just thought I would give it a go myself. So I did a week long course in Manchester and at end you do a graduation show in front of maybe 30 people; it went well, I really enjoyed it, and it’s grown from there.”
Ideally Harvey says he would like to act as the compere for the Alcester Comedy Club as well as the promoter, but is currently still honing his skills, and so for now is hiring more seasoned comics — such as this month’s James Cook — to take on the hosting duties. The headline act next week is Tom Binns, the multi-talented performer who will play three of his different personas – clairvoyant, ventriloquist and hospital radio DJ. Harvey says it’s like ‘getting three for one’.
If he could have any act on the bill at Alcester Comedy Club who would Harvey pick?
“Lee Mack, he’s been a real inspiration for me, Paul Foot, who is whacky, eccentric and unpredictable; and to add a bit of balance, and for a big name draw I’d go for Jimmy Carr.”
WHEN AND WHERE: Alcester Comedy Club takes place on Wednesday, 6th June, at 8pm, at Alcester Town Hall. Tickets are £10 and from www.ticketsource.co.uk or in person from The Turks Head, who will also be running a bar on the night. Tickets will also be available on the door.
