Voicebox Comedy

Voicebox Comedy was started by myself in the summer of 2008 at Safehouse Art Gallery. I had returned to Belfast from university, and in order to keep myself occupied during the interm, I decided to start a small, informal night. I had first "officially" got up behind the mic as a stand-up in late 2007, at LOL's Student Comedy Night at The Rose Tavern in Norwich, where I had been studying. I had only originally planned to do a few in Belfast before I returned to the scene over there.

The couple that went ahead were small, falling apart at the seams and very scatterbrained. With no microphone, muzak or a bar, it was essentially a white room with some school canteen dinner chairs thrown in. Hit with acute inspiration, as I'm sure you'll agree, I named the night from the fact it was comedians in a square room, with only their words to hide behind. The crowds that were there, in just about double-figures, had fun and really enjoyed the night for what it was. It was an inclusive, amateur, alternative grassroots comedy night, a different beast to The Empire Comedy Club and the Laughter Lounge, which were two of the few places you could go for some comedy in the city. From the few who were there, it was were I and many other amateur comics realised that there are other needy, insecure and ultimately funny people about. Many nights have been started since by those comics, and are still going strong.

I returned to Belfast just at the start of 2009 and kicked off in big-style with Voicebox. I made it a monthly affair; every first friday of the month. The only proviso I had with the comics, which stood until the club closed, was that they had "free reign to do whatever you want". Stand-up comedy inherently has that rule; as a performance by one person, entitled to talk about any given subject for their amount of time. It wasn't my judgement to make; if the audience didn't find it funny, the comic would soon know. With a large amount of performers (the average night usually having 10) doing as they please every month, it's no surprise that along the way there have been some unforgettable moments.

It may be a while before I'll find myself sitting with a carry-out, watching someone on stage slide-tackle a chair, do an elaborate and surreal dance routine or simulate defecation using a can of squirty cream to the background music of a drum and bass version of The Magic Roundabout theme. Well, except maybe in my night terrors.

Sincerest thanks to the performers in this non-definitive list:

Aaron Marshall, Adam Laughlin, Adrian Aicken, Andy Hamilton, Anne-Marie Mullan, Anthony Barrett, Brian Dunwoody, Caitriona Ward, Chris Montgomery, Ciaran Bartlett, Ciaran Flanagan, Colin Geddis, Colm McGlinchey, Dan Terrins, Ed Goodall, Enda Muldoon, Gary Croft, George Quinn, Gerard McKeown, Graeme Watson, Harry McGarry, Hotrod McCaughan, Jason Johnson, Jason O'Neill, Joe Lindsay, Justin McKeown, Karl Schultz, Lauren Kerr, Liam Watson, Lorcan McGrane, Mark Cahill, Meabh McDonnell, Mick Thompson, Micky Bartlett, Morgan Hearst, Neil Woodside, Paddy McGaughey, Paul McCarron, Peter Maxwell, Robert Best, Ruaidhrí Ward, Ryan Hollinger, Scott Calonico, Séamus Fox, Shane Horan, Shane Todd, Simon McCullagh, Stacey Mead, Susie Showers.

And to the folks who turned out to see the show, helped behind the scenes and provided more than enough enthusiasm, thank you.




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Enjoy a wee (purposely) saccharin tribute video of Voicebox Comedy, made by the one and only Lorcan McGrane.