If the week seems to be dragging by, and you’re not sure how you’re going to make it through to the weekend, don’t worry! The Wellington Comedy Club is coming to the rescue on a Thursday at Wellington’s renowned San Fran venue. This invigorating night of comedy will give you the boost you need. There’s a great line up of different comics every week, and I find I have the pleasure of attending the show on the fifth of May which stars MC Tony Lyall and features Lucy Roche, Rhian Wood-Hill, Danny Sewell and Sera Devcich.

As patrons get settled at their tables with a glass of wine, Tony Lyall is welcomed on stage to applause and flashing lights. It doesn’t take long for him to win over the crowd. Clearly comfortable as an MC, he warms us up with a few questions and gets good engagement right away before launching into his stand-up routine.

Throughout the evening he delivers some great topical material, anecdotes and a bit of physical comedy as well. His performance is charismatic and cheeky, contrasted with the occasional aggressive stance on something quickly followed with an apology and a laugh. He does a great job of welcoming each act and encouraging an enthusiastic response from the audience. Between the acts, his routines ensure that the vibrant energy of the night never dips.

The first feature act is Lucy Roche. She has a slightly quieter style, and her comedy is personal and impactful. She is able to tell a story in such a way that every sentence gets a laugh while building towards the bigger picture. She touches on life experiences such as dating and has some good commentary on subjects like religion. While there is some mention of uncomfortable and adult topics, her approach to this always has the audience on her side, with a little incredulous laughter.

Rhian Wood-Hill is the next act to step up, and while he professes to be an anxious person I see nothing but the confidence of an experienced performer. There are some great anecdotes in his act, and even some lullabies with hard hitting social commentary. I enjoy how many of his stories start out small and escalate into something more outrageous. Much of his material gets a good groan as well as a laugh. I find Rhian’s act to be one of the highlights of the night.

After a short break, the next act up is Danny Sewell. He has a dry style of comedy with some observations, a little self-depreciation and a bit of audience interaction. There are a few edgier jokes that I feel don’t fit well with the set, but nothing terribly upsetting. While this is a shorter part of the show and doesn’t get the biggest laughs of the night, there are some jokes that have an excellent ‘slow burn’ quality to them and I appreciate that Danny seems to be having a genuinely good time on stage.

Sera Devcich is the last act to take to the stage. She has some particularly strong opening material, leading into anecdotes about her life and her family and some good gross out material and dirty stories. There is a fair bit of audience interaction, with Sera asking some good questions, though some of the responses seem to fall flat. The set seems to be the longest of the night, and I think it could have been improved by being a little shorter and punchier. Nevertheless, Sera is a wonderful comic with a friendly and affable tone, and a great ability to laugh at herself and her own life experiences.

Overall, the Wellington Comedy Club delivers an excellent evening of comedy. I’ve enjoyed being introduced to some great comics that will undoubtedly be keeping tabs on the Wellington comedy scene. If you want to spend your Thursday night being entertained, possibly challenged a little and laughing along to some incredible experienced comics, then this show is for you. Bring your family, bring your friends, and make sure you book in advance so you don’t miss out.

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