A cheap (and funny) night out

            Enter into the Builders Arms Pub in South Kensington and one feels as if they have entered nearly any other pub in London. It’s a little more high end-filled with “vintage” looking furniture and young up-and-coming businesspeople grabbing a drink after a day at the office. What may be surprising about this place is that every Monday night the second floor is transformed into a comedy club. Fledgling comics from all over appear here in an intimate setting- for free- in order to entertain the masses over a pint. These comedians may be categorized as amateur, but their material is anything but. Because of the intimate setting, dim lighting and comfortable seating, one feels as though they are in the living room of a friend’s house where a comedian has just happened to dropped by coincidentally.

            My two flatmates and I came here first on a drizzly Monday night and found our way up the stairs to the lounge where the show was taking place. The first comedian, or more appropriately, comedienne, was a skinny girl with a mop of fiery red hair from northern England. Looking as though she was in her late twenties, she regaled the crowd with exploits from her childhood growing up in a nudist colony, the awkwardness of maturing as a young adult in such a community, and her luck (or lack thereof) with men. Following her spot, a large, hairy, ethnically ambiguous man took the mic and began talking about his distressing existence as such a person. He described his move from Australia to the United Kingdom and his depression about leaving his girlfriend behind, left to merely video “chat” (among other things) with her and of how he should never be left to his own devices. He described how he needs to always be listening to music, otherwise his mind wanders and he begins to think of the strangest things. He gave an example of walking down the street and imagining a speeding car coming and clipping him from behind and ending his life right then and there, and how there could be nothing he could do about it. “Life is so deep man, and it’s the possibility of shit like that happening that makes you realize it.” The crowd laughed in awkward agreement.

            The final act of the night was definitely the best. As the wiry young guy walked up to the stage he patted an audience member on the head and immediately apologized upon reaching the front of the room. “That was a bit rape-y, wasn’t it? I’m sorry, that wasn’t my intention and I immediately regretted that decision.” From his anecdote about From his description of a one man show he was suckered into seeing in which the man ended up naked covered in red wine to his story of how he decided to greet his girlfriend on her birthday, he was an incredibly entertaining guy.

            In short, if you’re looking for an essentially free (it’s polite to buy a drink while you’re there and they ask for small donations at the end of the night) night out, then be sure to check out the Builders Arms in South Kensington every Monday night. It’s an excellent excuse to get out into a new part of London and it’s a great way to start of the week. Be ready to engage with the performer when you are there though, because they have no qualms of talking to the audience- the first time I was there my friends and I had a few jokes made at our expense because we were American, but it was all in good fun. Be sure to check this place out if you want to meet some locals, have a drink and check out some ridiculous comedy.

-Andrew Avallone

aavallon@ucsc.edu