Theatre Review: Howl at the Den at WOLF Italian

Words: Megan Evans
Monday 16 December 2019
reading time: min, words

Pizza and chuckles. What else d'ya want? 

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Howl at The Den is a brand-new monthly comedy club showcasing brilliant comedians from right here in Nottingham and further afield. Before I go into the comedy show itself, I have to comment on the fantastic venue this comedy night is held in. Upon entering WOLF Italian, you are greeted by a small space designed for ‘upmarket’ takeaways. Think Subway but for pizza as they create your meal in front of you. Choose your toppings and grab yourself a hoppy Wolf beer.

You are then directed down towards The Den – a cosy room with a small stage. This makes it more exciting being in the audience, as you become engrossed in the acts in front of you. New spaces like this are great to see popping up around Nottingham, and The Den feels like a space just made for creativity to grow.

Speaking of small intimate venues, these can be make or break for some comedians, however the MC of the night Aaron Wood really rose to the challenge. Although some audience members weren’t keen to talk, Aaron thrived none the less and took advantage of the small audience by delving, perhaps a little too deeply, into their lives. He was quick on his feet and kept the audience feeling involved and most importantly laughing.

It was hard not to take notice of a few of the comedians rushing out with their coats and bags past the stage after finishing their act. However, in a small venue, space is hard to navigate and it’s not going to be as polished as Live at the Apollo. This adds to the charm of this comedy night, with some acts staying to mingle with the audience and others nipping off to get to their next show.

Besides Aaron, there were 4 brilliant comedy acts throughout the night including Dana Alexander, Evaldas Karosas and Dwight Pritchard, with each one bringing something new to the stage. The highlight of the night for me was Jack Gleadlow, who you could say was a triple threat – singing, dancing and acting. He entered the stage covered in props with a soundtrack to follow, and had the audience blushing, cringing and laughing.

I would highly recommend a night at Howl at The Den, with early bird tickets for only £5. It’s not only incredible value with several comedians performing, but its genuinely a great time. If you’re looking to support a local venue, see up and coming acts that will have you in stitches, then book your tickets for next month’s show.

Howl at The Den is returning on Thursday 30 January 2020 at WOLF Italian.

Howl at the Den website

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