Dan Nightingale 2008

From the Chortle Fast Fringe 2008 showcase

More Dan Nightingale videos

Originally from Preston, Lancashire Dan Nightingale started his comedy career while living in Newcastle in 2002. After working at The Hyena Comedy Café as a sound man for six months, he finally got on stage.

He moved to Manchester within 12 months he went from barman at the Frog & Bucket, to booking agent, to hosting the new act night and finally compering the weekends.

In June 2004 he turned professional. At that year's Edinburgh festival he performed as part of the Big Value Comedy Show, returning in 2005 as part of a double header with Josie Long.

Laugh Inn, Chester, Opening Night
Live Review

Indeed, Chester’s Laugh Inn used to be a working men’s club – but is now Britain’s newest dedicated comedy venue. There have been surprisingly few in recent years, despite the supposed boom in stand-up. Aside from a few refits following the collapse of Jongleurs’ former owners, growth has been in high-end theatre shows and low-end pub gigs. The sort of mid-market activity that gave us the Comedy Stores, Stands, Frog and Buckets, Glees and, indeed, original Jongleurs of the last comedy surge has been notably absent in this one.

The Laugh Inn almost didn’t make it in time for opening night. A planned launch party earlier the week was cancelled as builders worked round-the-clock to get it finished. Even now, tarpaulin obscures the yet-to-be finished balcony.

But what is done looks good. The studio room would be a half-decent venue in its own right; a small stand-up stage in the corner of a sizeable bar. But the main room seats hundreds, even without the balcony – the exact number depending on whether the chairs are cabaret-style around tables, or, as tonight, mostly in rows.

The man behind all this has plans for more Laugh Inns. As a former Comedy Store manager, John Locke has seen first-hand how a good comedy room works, and his experience also includes classy Manchester bar The Northern and much-loved music venue Band On The Wall. This club has a few teething problems tonight – the sound, especially starts dreadful and upgrades only to acceptable as the show goes on – but it has a lot of promise. The question will be whether a town of 77,000 and its environs can sustain such a large space – if it can, the prognosis is good for similar-sized communities across the county.

One of those 77,000 residents is tonight’s compere, Danny McLoughlin, pictured, who admits playing to so many people he personally knows is a slightly odd concept. Amid the home-town banter, he’s got charming and funny material about growing up poor and the very British disappointment of the low-rent Gulliver’s World theme park.

If McLoughlin was the voice of the town, opening act Hal Cruttenden was the fey Southerner, living up to every middle-class stereotype – and teasing the Northerners for theirs. ‘Some of you fucking hate me,’ he said after his tongue-in-cheek ribbing – though it’s unlikely they did; his tales of unmanly ailments, camp attitude and relationship with a forceful Ulsterwoman with terrifying accent proved a fine opening to the venue. Curious side note, though: not one of the audience acknowledged being a gay man when Cruttenden asked.

Manchester-based Dan Nightingale filled the second section, with a frisky and playful set, taking good-natured pops at the iron-pumping muscleheads at his gym and summing up Britain’s attitude to drink with devastating accuracy. And, of course, there’s nothing audiences like more than being told what feckless drunks they are – it reinforces an odd sense of identity.

The bill was completed by a fourth likeable lad, Justin Moorhouse, doing his first gig in three and a half months. ‘This place is nice,’ he said. ‘They’ve Hollyoakes it up.’ As a jovial, chubby Northern comic, Moorhouse could probably have played the venue in its old incarnation. But that’s another stereotype; his teasing, often daft, material might not be particularly challenging, but it undoubtedly works, and is enlivened by flourishes of skilful language, such as describing his teenage offspring as ‘a yawn in a hood’. The crowd are duly pleased.

A strong opening weekend, then, for this welcome venture, with the sort of reliably amusing comics it should be able to attract week after week. No showboating launch with TV-grade stars being tapped for favours, creating unrealistic expectations; but a representative night that will hopefully draw the punters back week after week. Locke’s bank manager is presumably hoping it will.

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We saw Dan at the Covent Garden comedy club, he was brilliant! I had us in stitches from start to finish. I loved his 'out clubbing at 30' jokes, especially as I could relate. The crowd loved him, he had everyone laughing. I would defo love to see more of him, thank you Dan for a wonderful night!

CarlyL, January 2012

Dan was the Compere (I think Resident) at Beat The Frog on Wednesdays in Preston. I saw him on the 30th September and he was a brilliant compere. Natural wit, likeable and doesn't put down anyone who doesn't do as well as they'd hoped during the competition. I true professional. On stage for probably a good 40 minutes at least. See him again in Wednesdays as you'll see him, two from the circuit and 10 more amateurs. 13 comics FOR FREE is a bargain. I hope Dan makes the big time.

Kyle Gardner, September 2011

Really funny and a true comedian. Lots of great jokes. Would go to see him again anytime.

Jack, February 2011

Dan headlined a very tough gig in Barnsley and was absolutely amazing. It's in my top 5. Cheers Dan hope to have you back

Love Comedy, November 2010

He's undoubtedly talented and a safe booking bet but there is a touch of arrogance about him that I find annoying. And too many of his skits seem to involve him putting on a high pitched voice and saying 'dickhead'.

John Hall, August 2010

Surprised at the lack of recent comments here. Whenever I've seen DN he seems to "walk it"; whether compering or doing his own bit; regardless of audience size I've seen him with the audience in the palm of his hand at a gig with 50 people and drawing them in equally successfully at close to 200. Very inventive and seeming able to make a funny comment about just about anything. Engages the crowd on a par with the likes of Jason Cook.

Ben, March 2010

Dan's a wonderful comic who has everything in his comedic arsenal to achieve anything he wants to.

Paul Sinha, December 2008

Saw Dan at Edinburgh Fringe & thought he was hilarious, would be even better with a bigger audience as he loves to get them involved in his act.

Andy Bradbery, August 2008

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