Comedy For Hot People featuring Sophie Duker

Ian Jones, Food and Drink Editor

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Comedy For Hot People

The Fitzgerald, Manchester
7 April 2022

Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit.

Comedy For Hot People
Ian Jones
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Don’t worry, despite the name there are no looks-checks on the door. Rather Comedy For Hot People is one of the city’s best comedy nights, held at the wonderful The Fitzgerald cocktail bar in the Northern Quarter.

It’s pay-what-you-want, but for guaranteed entry (highly recommended) it’s best to book in advance. Plus you can bag yourself a snazzy seat, right in the heart of the action – or slightly to the side if you’re more a shy, retiring type.

Headlined by Sophie Duker, who has appeared on a long, long list of top TV shows

This month is headlined by Sophie Duker, who has appeared on a long, long list of top TV shows. There are also sets from raved-about local legends Jain Edwards and Dan Tiernan, and the superb James Heath. And the wonderful Erika Ehler is back on hosting duties. Curious to learn more about the acts? Read on:

Sophie Duker: Sophie Duker is a comedian and writer whose favourite things include breaking hearts, taking names and telling jokes with the confidence of a cis straight middle-class white man. Her Edinburgh Fringe Show, Venus, saw her nominated for the Best Newcomer award and gained critical acclaim and five-star reviews. The success of this show saw her performing a sold out two week run at the Soho Theatre. She’s also a regular guest on Frankie Boyle’s New World Order (BBC2) and has appeared on Live at The Apollo (BBC2), Mock the Week (BBC2), 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown (Channel 4) and Hypothetical (Dave). If that’s not enough, Sophie will be appearing on the upcoming series of Taskmaster (Channel 4)

Jain Edwards: Surrealist stand-up Jain Edwards has featured on BBC3 and Channel 4, and has written and appeared on podcasts The Beef and Dairy Network and Tiredness Kills as well as co-creating the Twitch cult phenomenon Escape The North. Jain also presents her own multimedia spectacle The Jain Edwards Show with some of the brightest and strangest stars of the North West comedy scene.

Dan Tiernan: Dan is a 25-year-old, gay, Mancunian, with dyspraxia. He’s a high energy act with a set full to the brim of smart off-beat jokes about his chaotic life. His long list of awards includes winning North West Comedy Awards, Break Through Act of the Year (2021), West Didsbury Comedy Festival New Comedian of the Year (2021), Frog and Bucket, Beat The Frog World Series (2020), and Edinburgh Fringe, The SAM LGBT Award (2021).

James Heath: Last but not least, James claimed runner-up at the Beat The Frog World Series 2019, and Planet Sound states: “Would easily claim a big cult following.”

Where to go near Comedy For Hot People featuring Sophie Duker

Manchester
Restaurant
Dahlia Stereo

Dahlia Stereo is a Latin American-inspired open-fire kitchen and bar off the Northern Quarter’s Stevenson Square, with a pitch perfect soundsystem.

Balance Taproom
Manchester
Restaurant
Balance Taproom

Manchester has a glut of taprooms, and Balance Brewing’s is far and away the best. Drinks, decor, service – all a cut above.

Richard Hards ‘Strangeways’
Manchester
Gallery
Moon Grove

A Georgian front room in Rusholme houses Moon Grove, an independent gallery with an unusually ambitious international programme.

In Focus: Chinese Contemporary Art.
Manchester
Gallery
New Adelphi Exhibition Gallery

New Adelphi Exhibition Gallery opened in 2016, providing a permanent space to showcase the University of Salford Art Collection within the New Adelphi School of Arts and Media.

Cumbria
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1863 Restaurant

1863 offers a seven-course Lake District tasting menu that overdelivers at every turn. Cumbrian ingredients, clever ideas and classical cooking techniques.

City Centre
Bar or Pub
Schofield’s Bar

Schofield’s could be Manchester’s most grown-up bar. Very precise drinks in an upmarket city centre venue. It’s not cheap, hey, but true class costs.

Manchester
Restaurant
Sampa

Sampa’s underground space is the perfect place to learn about both her new mind-expanding dishes and vintage sherries, reimagined for the late 2020s.

Northern Quarter
Restaurant
Sicilian NQ

Busy backstreet Sicilian restaurant in the Northern Quarter, serving up traditional dishes with well-executed vegan versions that more than match up.

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