Audience Reviews...
“A group of friends and I have been attending Crazy Bird comedy evenings at Stroud Brewery for a couple of years now, and it has become an essential monthly event for all of us. The venue is great and there is always a good mix of comedians with excellent MCs who occasionally steal the show themselves. The evening is always well organised and runs like clockwork with short breaks between each comedian, so there’s time for drinking and chatting between acts. Nick and his team put on a brilliant show and the comedy is always top class. Can’t recommend highly enough!”
Sarah, Chalford
"Always a top night. Some of the best comedians on the circuit, in a great venue with a really friendly and relaxed vibe. Fantastic value for money and really well organised."
Al, Stroud
“Crazy Bird Comedy nights are top quality comedy in the company of an enthusiastic audience and a great evening out. The acts are always complementary but wildly different, with an MC that you'd pay money to see. Nick has a knack of picking the unique acts. Fantastic value and guaranteed to impress if you're bringing guests. I'm always sorry when the night ends.”
Linda, Wotton-Under-Edge
“The Piggy Bank comedy nights are an absolute blast. We’ve seen some fantastic comedians and there’s always a warm welcome from the team. Already excited for the next one!”
Tessa, Calne
Comedian Reviews...
“I know from over twenty-five years of performing comedy all over the world, small independent promoters are the lifeblood of the circuit. Unsurprisingly they vary from the brilliant all the way to the mad, bad and dangerous to know. Nick from Crazy Bird belongs very much in the former camp. I have performed for him at festivals, breweries, sports clubs and any number of small-to-medium size venues.
I know not only will I be well looked after, there will be a proper, receptive audience up for a good night. I know they will be properly seated in front of a properly lit stage and a faultless sound system. I also know I’ll get paid immediately afterwards. You’d be amazed how often some promoters get one, some or all of these things wrong.
Nick is a true pro, and I always look forward to working with him. It’s the sort of professional relationship that very easily becomes a friendship because you trust one another to know you’re doing the best you can for each other and the audience. Comedy needs more CrazyBirds!”
Alistair Barrie
“I love working for Crazy Bird Comedy. Nick is a great promoter and always takes care of the comedians. The rooms are set-up well, sound quality is excellent, audiences are always up for it knowing they are in for a great night. Backstage snacks could be improved, but Nick's banter soon makes us forget this!”
Sally-Anne Hayward
“Nick has run great gigs around Stroud for years and knows how it's done.
Crazy Bird showcases the best of circuit talent for a loyal audience in a room that's just set up perfectly for comedy. Acts look forward to playing there.”
Roger Monkhouse
“Crazy Bird Comedy has to be one of the best promoters in the country, great comedy savvy audiences, well setup rooms, and most importantly, us as comedians are looked after, also one of the promptest payers EVER, once got paid before I was off the stage!”
Jon Pearson
“I love doing Crazy Bird gigs. The room is always set up well, the sound and lights work, and they look after performers.
It may sound obvious, but getting detailed instructions about the venue, where to park and how to get in is important.
Always a good mix of acts, they're keen to progress newer acts to better spots when they can and there's always a decent acts room or area with snacks and drinks.
It's the little things that make the job easy or hard, and Crazy Bird Comedy get the little things right, and then pay quickly!”
Nick Page
“Nick is one of the most thoughtful promoters in the business – it’s great to do a gig where there is a nice environment, a strong lineup and MC, and best of all… Very quick payment!”
Samantha Day
“From the moment you walk into a Crazy Bird Comedy room you immediately feel like you’re going to have a great night. I’ve been a comedian for over 20 years and you’ll be surprised at how many people get it wrong, but Nick Bird gets it right every single time.
The lighting is great, the sound is always great, everyone in the room has a good view of the stage and I know that these seem like very simple things, but it’s these simple things that can make or break a night.
You get a warm welcome from Nick as you enter the venue and he makes sure you have everything you need to deliver a top-class night of comedy before he heads back out to the main door to make sure that every punter is greeted in the same warm, attentive manner.
I love gigging for Crazy Bird and I know that other comedians and gig goers alike love being there too. A great night of comedy is always guaranteed at Crazy Bird Comedy.”
Rich Wilson
“We have worked with Nick for years and he has always been great - professional, helpful, and absolutely brilliant at shifting tickets. He really goes the extra mile when it comes to both promoting the show and being there on the night. He even fixed one of our props once, and he always brings us ciders at half time! We hope to keep working with him for many years to come and we would recommend his services to anyone.”
Helen Thorne & Ellie Gibson – Scummy Mummies
Venue Reviews...
“We first approached Nick in 2022 about bringing his comedy club to Calne and we launched in our venue in January 2023. Nick’s enthusiasm is infectious and clearly rubs off on the comedians that he books that so obviously give their best for his gigs. Here we are in December 2025 with yet another sold-out show and a heap of bookings already in for next year. Quality absolutely rivals anything you’ll see in a big theatre, and our punters couldn’t be more delighted and supportive. From our perspective, we also sell a lot of beer! “
Malcolm & Karen Shipp, The Piggy Bank, Calne, Wiltshire
“Nick Bird has been running Crazy Bird Comedy Club here at Stroud Brewery for donkey’s years, and we honestly couldn’t ask for a better or easier organiser to work with. He’s incredibly self-reliant, consistently filling the room time after time. Nick brings in a brilliant variety of hilarious comedians who never fail to fill the space with laughter, and he himself is always kind, welcoming, and an absolute pleasure to collaborate with.”
Laurence & Ellie, Events Team, Stroud Brewery
“We've booked Crazy Bird Comedy for Chalfest for a number of years now, and they never fail to deliver. It's the highlight for a number of our festival visitors, with the lineup always providing us fun-filled belly laughs. Nick also runs a slick show meaning there's never any hiccups or mishaps. Would highly recommend.”
Dan Burner, Chalfest Organiser, Chalford, Stroud
“Nick organised a number of comedy nights for us that were slick, energetic, and genuinely hilarious. His planning was impeccable, creating a smooth flow that made the whole evening feel effortless. The comedians he selected were top-class, each delivering sharp jokes, brilliant timing, and big laughs from start to finish. You could tell the line-up was chosen with real care and an eye for quality. The atmosphere he created was warm, lively, and full of excitement, making both events unforgettable. Nick’s professionalism, instinct for great comedy, and outstanding organisation made the nights exceptional. I’d happily attend anything he organises again in the future.”
Mark Dunford, Longlevens Rugby Club, Gloucester
Media Reviews...
"The Crazy Bird Comedy Club held a night of hilarity at Stroud Brewery on Sunday that thoroughly entertained the “large group of people who can’t afford to go to Glastonbury”. Ever-great compere Geoff Whiting introduced a line-up consisting of the hilarious Sully O’Sullivan, raunchy Rosie Holt, whitty Dickie Richards, and Britains Got Talent finalist Danny Posthill. The night kicked off with Geoff and Sully providing some amazing audience interaction: in such a small and intimate venue, this was the perfect start to the evening, breaking down any barrier between audience and comedians, and allowing the 100-plus crowd to have as much of an impact on the flow of the night as the stand-ups themselves.
For me, the highlight was the end of O’Sullivan’s performance which consisted of a stage dive that turned into the lift from Dirty Dancing, performed by Sully himself and audience member Mycah Elliot-Jenkins, whilst the entire crowd sang “The Time of My Life”. Headliner Danny Posthill also provided some memorable impressions, from David Attenborough through Sarah Millican to Donald Trump, and the night was a resounding success, literally a “spit-your-drink-out-funny” event, perfect for an audience in the mood to keep laughing.
All the acts worked well together with a balanced mix of one liners, topical comedy and storytelling that kept the crowd’s attention throughout. Comedy Club maestro Nick Bird summed it up as “a fantastic evening - the crowd always makes it, and they weren’t shy to come forward and get involved.”
Josh Greer
"Stand-up comedy is fast becoming part of the Stroud scene, and entrepreneur Nick Bird’s latest local endeavour brought a great mix of talent to the Lansdown Hall. Neil McFarlane (who played Minchinhampton’s Comedy Night last summer), Geoff Alderman, Zahra Barri and Mark Maier provided three hours of top entertainment, compered by the wonderful Geoff Whiting.
The MC was worth the money on his own, picking nuggets of info from the almost-capacity crowd. The audience may have been a little hesitant at first, but Geoff quickly established a friendly rapport with a continuous flow of observations on topics including audience attire, jobs, dating, gym buddies, and retirement, to get everyone in the mood. Neil McFarlane and Geoff Alderman kicked off the show with good performances, but it was Zahra Barri who proved the pick of the minor stars, with a fresh perspective drawing on her Irish-Egyptian heritage. Her act, touching on fashion (the Arab Spring collection), racism and culture (yoghurt and otherwise) was totally original, and went down a treat.
Then on to headliner Mark Maier, who combined a multitude of disparate themes – speed awareness, flooding, family life, Farrer & Ball – to present a complete comedy picture. It was a beautifully-constructed set, and a treat to listen to such a professional at work. Nick’s next comedy venture is on Sunday April 17 when Geoff Whiting will be compere, with Arthur Smith (another of the Minchinhampton alumni) starring. Don’t miss it!"
Jane Leigh, Stroud News & Journal
"Desperate for a few laughs on a dark Tuesday night, I made my way to the lovely town of Calne. And more specifically to The Piggy Bank micro-pub in the centre of town for their first ever Comedy Night, presented by Stroud-based Crazy Bird Comedy Club. The place was absolutely packed, being a sell-out well before the night, and people were in place long before the show started in an effort to get a good seat. It didn’t really matter, as the place is quite small, so every seat in the house was a good one – and that included Yours Truly, doing a shift behind the bar to help the guys out. And a busy old night it was.
Our MC for the evening was the affable Jon Pearson, who proved to be a great foil for a lively audience that was definitely up for it. Although it’s become almost standard practice these days for comedians to gently take the piss out of the town they’re currently playing in, it was more than entertaining to witness Calne being put to the verbal sword for a change. First up was Joe Wells, a hunk of a man, who was an immediate hit with the audience. His routine was basically, with many digressions and plenty of raucous audience interaction, a riff on his own autism (or “neuro-divergence”), wherein he took the interesting line of sympathising deeply, in a maximally patronising way, with those who are, sadly, non-autistic. Great stuff.
After a decent interval, and some more audience-rapping from our MC, it was the turn of the diminutive Julia Stenton, describing herself as a “bad case of adult acne”. Some nice observational sketches followed, with material that was both hilarious and near the bone (but without ever resorting to the poor comedian’s escape-clause of sheer crudity). Another class act. And finally, onto our headliner Nick Page. Here was a big guy who was comfortable on the microphone, relaxed and unhurried, knowing how to play the audience, riding the laughs and timing his pay-offs perfectly. His material on the benefits (or otherwise) of having children was exquisitely judged. Bang-on comedy in my book.
And then we were done. Four acts and, to my comic tastes at least, four absolute winners. You can’t say fairer than that. So, ten out of ten, and well done to owners Malcolm and Karen Shipp for having the vision, the energy, and the determination to put this show on. And proving, yet again, that there’s definitely a taste for live comedy."
Andy Fawthrop
"The first outing of a new comedy night in Ross-on-Wye was a side-splitting success. The show, held in the intimate ‘cabaret’ room at Ross Sports Centre was organised by Nick Bird of Crazy Bird Comedy, who already holds regular comedy nights in Stroud. The audience was treated to a raucous mix of comedy styles, from straight stand-up to unusual character comedy, supplied by an excellent line up of seasoned (and rookie) comics, and with six acts on the bill there was something for everyone.
I can honestly say that on several occasions tears of laughter were streaming down my face, and the whole room was whipped into a whirlwind of hysterical glee. Everywhere people were laughing out loud and clearly having a great time. Such is the power of a live comedy show.
My highlight was squeaky voiced Canadian David Tsonos, whose priceless observations on the intelligence of cats, and the logic of countries choosing national animals – Canada chose the Beaver, while Wales plumped for a Dragon – were top drawer funny. Becky Brunning, from Bristol, had a great routine about failing her driving test nine times, and Tim Hoskins, doing a five-minute open mic spot, was forced into an encore by an enthusiastic audience who had loved him and his story about causing a work colleague to fall off a ladder. The whole evening was expertly held together by highly experienced compere Geoff Whiting, who grabbed the room by the funny bone from the outset, and didn’t let go. Another show is being planned, and judging by the reaction to this one, Crazy Bird Comedy could build a regular nest in Ross-on-Wye, with some cracking good comedy eggs inside."
visitrossonwye.com
"Stroud’s Crazy Bird Comedy Club goes from strength to strength: the latest offering at the Sub Rooms provided a value-for-money package with no fewer than five comedians plus compere Geoff Whiting. The latter’s warm-up act got proceedings off to a fine start, helped by an audience of Stroud’s ‘finest nutters’ who engaged in the verbal sparring with enthusiasm.
Junior Simpson then opened the show, and he was followed by local act Marti, a.k.a. Tim Hoskins from Tewkesbury, who set the stage alight with his portrayal of a foreign entertainer showing off his variety of English accents. Winter Foenander from Ireland garnered more groans than laughs, but Canadian Peter White then followed with a polished performance which kept everyone well and truly under his spell.
Top honours, however, undoubtedly went to Arthur Smith, as the Radio 4 favourite returned to Stroud to offer an eclectic set, with topics ranging from our local hospital to Jenni Murray, and from The One Show (or ‘Blue Peter for grown-ups’) to poetry. His set was both amusing and moving."
Jane Leigh, Stroud News & Journal
"One of the big guns of stand-up headed the bill in Nailsworth on Saturday, and Sean Hughes lived up to expectations, treating the townsfolk to a cracking evening's entertainment. The Irish comic wasn't totally impressed with the chilly Sub Rooms, but the temperature was quickly integrated into the routine along with other local observations. The audience was decidedly middle aged and middle class, but it proved ideal for an act featuring the delights of growing older.
Ageing and ailments proved great sources for a non-stop stream of comedy, and it was a joy to watch a master at work as he mined the comedy from subjects as diverse as Crystal Palace FC, the Paralympics, psoriasis (and other conditions), making a Will, a Catholic upbringing and that favourite computer game, Tesco internet shopping! Sean was ably assisted by Aussie comedienne Sarah Bennetto, whose secret social experiment provided some good laughs, and by Paul Wade, and the whole night was compered by the inimitable Geoff Whiting who did a great job in warming-up the audience. The venue may have been freezing but the comedy, especially from star turn Sean, was sizzling!"
Jane Leigh, Stroud News & Journal