Hen & Chicken

Talk: The Psychology of People Pleasing
2026-01-19 19:30 - 21:30 UTC | Hen & Chicken Studio
Join us as we explore what people pleasing is, what drives it, and how to begin to break free. Followed by a Q+A.

Do you struggle to say no? Take on too much? Put everyone else’s needs before your own? If fear and guilt are stopping you from living the life you want, people-pleasing could be the reason why.
In this talk, psychotherapist Hannah Paskin will break down people pleasing – helping you identify the signs, understand how it shows up in your work, relationships, and daily life, and learn practical techniques to say no with confidence and let go of guilt.
Speaker bio:
Psychotherapist Hannah Paskin is a Recovering People Pleaser who really gets it. She runs her own successful full-time therapy practice Hannah Paskin Therapy in Cheshire & Online. She is known as the Straight-Talking Therapist, and her mission is to give people the answers they need to break free from fear, guilt, anxiety and more. She helps people to overcome People Pleasing, Burnout, Imposter Syndrome, Perfectionism and High Functioning Anxiety. She is an accredited Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist with 15 years’ experience in the field.

Comedy: Stand Up For The Weekend with ROGER MONKHOUSE
2026-01-17 20:00 - 22:30 | Hen & Chicken Studio
Stand Up For The Weekend with Roger Monkhouse featuring Jenny Collier & Jack Campbell.

Stand Up For The Weekend is our flagship weekly comedy show featuring top circuit headliners and guest acts plus incredibly funny and engaging comperes who host the show. A choice of table seats, reserved row seats and unreserved row seats are available to book online.
Headliner: ROGER MONKHOUSE

Roger Monkhouse is one of the most original and distinctive acts on the comedy scene. A consummate stand-up who employs a deadly combination of charm and menace to exert a masterful control over any audience. A highly original and quirky performer, Roger’s trademark stage-prowling style and curious, inimitable manner have established him as one of the hottest names on the comedy circuit.
Distinguished as a comic by his eloquence and keen eye for a fine phrase, Roger’s easy observational style is spiked by the signal flares of an accomplished gag writer. He has no shortage of first class observational material in his armoury.
“His laconic delivery shields an engaging persona and an enquiring mind” – The Guardian

Jazz: Craig Crofton - The Music Of Wes Montgomery
2026-01-15 20:00 - 22:30 | Chicken Shed
Craig Crofton – tenor sax, Matt Hopkins – guitar, Anders Olinder – organ, Ian Matthews – drums
The renowned saxophonist Craig Crofton returns to the Be-Bop Club for an unforgettable night of music celebrating the life and work of the legendary jazz guitarist Wes Montgomery, with Matt Hopkins in the hot-seat emulating the great man.
Craig Crofton is an Anglo-American sax and flute player who has lived in the UK for over 20 years and has built up a great reputation for the power and visceral excitement of his playing. A protégé of Marcus Printup (Lincoln Center Orchestra) he has come to develop a unique sound of his own that stands out in many musical settings. Craig has featured with artists like Kasabian, Lack of Afro, Haggis Horns, Nitin Sawhney, This is The Kit, Mr Benn, Chris Monkey and is at the forefront of popular Bristol bands Phantom Ensemble, Baila la Cumbia, Dockside Latin Orchestra, Radio Banska and Dub From Atlantis to name a few.
The melodic and inventive guitar playing of Matt Hopkins has been featured in groups as stylistically diverse as Andy Sheppard’s Hotel Bristol, Emily Wright & The Royals and the Hopkins-Hammond Trio. He also takes the lead role in the “Music of Pat Metheny” project alongside pianist Dave Newton. Matt is also known as an instructor and educator, specialising in jazz improvisation.
Pianist and organist Anders Olinder is originally from Sweden, but has been based in Bristol for many years. Despite his Bristol home he actually plays frequently in London with big names in the world of jazz and funk such as Dennis Rollins, Tony Remy, James Morton, Tony Kofi and Byron Wallen. He has also toured extensively with Glenn Hughes [Deep Purple].
Whilst drummer Ian Matthews began his career on the Bristol jazz scene he is of course internationally known for his work with stadium filling rock band Kasabian.

Theatre: Wednesday Night Improv
2026-01-14 19:30 - 22:30 | Chicken Shed
Wednesday Night Improv’s monthly show continues in 2026 with a triple bill packed with quick wit, bold characters, and stories made up on the spot.
Join us for a midweek comedy boost featuring three of Bristol’s sharpest improv acts – each one creating a brand-new show right before your eyes, all inspired by audience suggestions.
[1] JAZZ POLICE
American-style longform improv comedy troupe from Bristol. Explore the world of improv through a hilarious compilation of scenes and bits as these masters of wit take one word and turn it into a show. Jazz Police have performed at multiple comedy festivals including the Edinburgh International Improv Festival and the Birmingham Comedy Festival.
“Damn near perfect improv” – The Glasgow Improv Theatre
[2] THE GROUNDHOGS
The Groundhogs are an improv-sketch group that will take a recent conversation you had with a loved one and show you every single way it could have gone. Hilarious, unpredictable, often cartoonish, and occasionally poignant, The Groundhogs are staples of the Bristol Improv scene for a reason.
[3] PRESSURE COOKER: THE IMPROVISED RESTAURANT SHOW
Pressure Cooker whisks you into a fictional restaurant where a dynamic ensemble brings the chefs, customers, and kitchen chaos to life. Using your stories as ingredients, our performers cook up hilarious, unpredictable scenes on the spot. From meltdowns to menu mayhem, it’s comedy served hot and fast.
Winners of the 2025 Bristol Improv Gauntlet | “Pure Comedic Alchemy” — Bristol 24/7
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Whether you’re a seasoned comedy fan or just curious about what happens when performers make it all up as they go, this is a perfect night to dive into Bristol’s thriving improv scene. Expect laughter, surprises, and something completely different – every single time.
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Part of the Wednesday Night Improv series – We’re on the second Wednesday of every month! Details here: https://linktr.ee/wednightimprov

TALK: The Psychology of Cats with Dr Jon Bowen
2026-01-14 19:30 - 21:30 | Hen & Chicken Studio
Worshipped & domesticated by us for over 10,000 years, learn what modern science says about what goes on inside the mind of a cat! With Q+A.

What do cats need to keep them happy? What are the rules cats expect us to follow when we interact with them? Why do cats ask for attention but then sometimes object when we stroke them? Where do cats go and what do they get up to when they leave the house? How have cats learned tricks to secretly manipulate us to get what they want? These are just some of the questions we’ll answer in this wide-ranging talk about the secret lives of cats.
Jon Bowen is a veterinary surgeon who has been working with dogs and cats with behaviour problems for more than 25 years. He runs the behavioural medicine referral service at the Royal Veterinary College, where he also lectures on behaviour, and he has published research papers and book chapters on a diverse range of subjects including normal and problematic cat and dog behaviour, the social support people get from their pets, and the welfare of pets. He is a regular speaker at international meetings.

Comedy: Stand Up For The Weekend with PAUL McCAFFREY
2026-01-10 20:00 - 22:30 | Hen & Chicken Studio
Stand Up For The Weekend with Paul McCaffery featuring Thor Stenhaug & Jessie Nixon plus compere Jeremy Flynn

Stand Up For The Weekend is our weekly flagship comedy show featuring top circuit headliners and guest acts plus incredibly funny and engaging comperes who host the show. A choice of table seats, reserved row seats and unreserved row seats are available to book online.
Headliner: PAUL McCAFFREY
Paul McCaffrey is an award-winning comedian and headlines at the biggest comedy clubs in the country, shining with his totally natural, utterly unique storytelling which is never anything less than gut-bustlingly hilarious. He has performed critically acclaimed Edinburgh shows as well as at major music festivals: Reading, Leeds, V Festival, Bestival and Latitude.

Paul has performed two solo tours of his own, Suburban Legend in 2018 and Lemon in 2020 and 2021.

In 2019 he debuted on the flagship BBC stand-up show Live At The Apollo, and has previously starred in BBC Three’s Impractical Jokers and Russell Howard’s Good News, Comedy Central’s Stand Up Central, Channel 4’s 50 Funniest and CBBC’s The Dog Ate My Homework.

An accomplished radio presenter and guest, Paul has been heard on: talkSPORT, Absolute’s The Alternative Vote and Rock n Roll Football with Rob Beckett and Russell Kane’s Whistle-Stop Tour on BBC Radio Two.

“McCaffrey simply has funny bones” The Shortlist

Comedy: THE END OF THE YEAR SHOW with MARK WATSON and GUESTS
2025-12-27 20:00 - 23:00 | Hen & Chicken Studio
The End Of The Year Show is an opportunity to get out of the house, flat or caravan in the post-Christmas/ pre-New Year period, and enjoy a brilliant night of top level stand up comedy featuring one of the best acts in the UK.

Mark Watson is one of the UK’s most successful comedians, the winner of the Panel Prize at the Edinburgh Fringe (where he has been one of the biggest-selling acts over the past twenty years), as well as Best Show at the Adelaide and Sydney Comedy Festivals, multiple Chortle Awards – including a Legend of Lockdown, in 2021, for his online work – Time Out Comedian of the Year and quite a lot more.

His many TV credits include Taskmaster, Live At The Apollo, QI, Have I Got News For You, Would I Lie To You and The Celebrity Island with Bear Grylls. He is also a very familiar voice on Radio 4, where his series ‘Mark Watson Talks A Bit About Life‘ has been a popular fixture for more than fifteen years. He has also appeared on Breaking the News, Franke off the Radio, and Unspeakable. Mark is one-third of the cult YouTube phenomenon No More Jockeys, which has had well over nine million views since it began in 2020. He currently presents the World Snooker Tour’s podcast with sporting legend Stephen Hendry.

Not only a stand-up, Mark has also written eight novels: Bullet Points (2004), A Light-Hearted Look At Murder (2007), Eleven (2010), The Knot (2012), Hotel Alpha (2014), The Place That Didn’t Exist (2016) Contacts (2020) and One Minute Away (2025). With Oliver Harud he co-authored a graphic novel, Dan And Sam, which was optioned by Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment and is now in development with Universal.

“A genius-level comic doing what he does best… it’s magical to watch and just so funny” Time Out Melbourne

BS3 Santa & Sven
2025-12-21 16:30 - 17:30, 2025-12-21 15:00 - 16:00 | Hen & Chicken Studio
Santa & Sven are very excited to be returning to Hen & Chicken with their magical Christmas show again this year.
I don’t know if you know, but filling the stockings of every child in the world in just one night is a HUMONGOUS undertaking. It requires planning, team work, dedication and – of course – a sprinkling of Christmas magic. These last few years Santa has taken to recce-ing ahead of the big drop to help Christmas Eve run as smoothly as possible. He brings with him Sven the reindeer handler, his excitable and talented Snow Elf.
Together, they’re hoping to shave valuable seconds off their busy Christmas Eve schedule by gathering crucial stocking location and roof landing intel ahead of time. Are you up to the challenge of helping our festive heroes with their quest? Get a peek into their enchanting world, see Sven play with his favourite snow elf circus toys, enjoy a Q&A with Santa and more. They’ll also answer the big questions of the Santa story and show glimpses of their Christmas magic. Come and see why they’ve been selling out venues from Tobacco Factory Theatres to Soho House and beyond! Guaranteed to bring a sense of fun, mischief and anticipation to all.
Strictly limited run – only one date in BS3!
Created and performed by Stewart Wright with Ben Kirby

Comedy: Stand Up For The Weekend with Alun Cochrane
2025-12-20 20:00 - 22:30 | Hen & Chicken Studio
Stand Up For The Weekend with Alun Cochrane featuring Javier Jarquin & Jeremy Flynn

Stand Up For The Weekend is our flagship weekly show from The Comedy Box, featuring top circuit headliners and guest acts, plus incredibly funny and engaging comperes who host the show. A choice of table seats, reserved row seats and unreserved row seats are available to book online.

Award-winning Alun Cochrane has appeared on numerous TV shows over the many, many years he has been a professional stand up comic, including his own show on BBC Radio 4, Alun Cochrane’s Fun House. He was also the co-host of The Frank Skinner Show on Absolute Radio, for which he received an Arqiva Award nomination for Best Newcomer. The show also won a Sony Award for Best Entertainment Programme.

Alun Cochrane is a master at observational comedy, an expert in storytelling and uniquely able to to gather material from anywhere he wanders in mind or body.
“Cochrane’s on-stage persona is allied to a real craft and creativity in his writing, yielding results that satisfy both the comedy purists and those who simply want big belly laughs on a night out” The Guardian

Music: Gee Baby I Love You - A Winter Warmer.
2025-12-19 21:00 - 23:30 | Hen & Chicken Studio
Bristol’s favourite Soul / Funk / R’n’B band – the full 8-piece line-up performing their repertoire of classics.
Dance your way into the Festive Season.

Live Jazz: The Text Messengers Play The Messengers
2025-12-18 20:00 - 22:30 | Chicken Shed
Last year’s Christmas Special was such fun we thought we’d do it again, but with a few differences – alto sax player Luke Annesley who performed last year is off with the John Wilson Orchestra, providing an opportunity to invite the remarkable trombonist Raph Clarkson to step in.
For much of the 1970s and 80s Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers featured a trumpet, alto sax and tenor sax front-line, but prior to that in the mid to late 1960s the band included either Freddie Hubbard or Lee Morgan on trumpet, Wayne Shorter on tenor sax and Curtis Fuller on trombone, so this year we’re attempting to recreate the sound of the band from this period.
Trumpeter Andy Hague has been presenting occasional sextet gigs under the Text Messengers name for a number of years, but the nod to Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers has more been due to the three horns front line rather than the repertoire. However, Andy has now amassed sufficient arrangements actually performed by the Jazz Messengers that the band can now present a full programme of Jazz Messengers classics, covering several eras of Art Blakey’s legendary group with compositions by Benny Golson, Bobby Timmons, Wayne Shorter and Bobby Watson.
Tenor saxophonist Dan Newberry has become a favourite of Bristol audiences in recent years with his hard blowing yet melodic style. He is now living here having completed his Masters at the Royal Welsh College in Cardiff. Dan has recently been playing with epic funk band Hungry Hungry Hippos alongside trumpeter Gary Alesbrook and guitarist Alex Hutchings.
Trombonist Raph Clarkson moved to Bristol a few years ago, and has had a great impact on the city’s jazz scene, working frequently in projects alongside bassist Riaan Vosloo. An acclaimed composer and arranger, Raph has been an integral part of the UK jazz scene for two decades, gaining recognition for adventurous album releases such as Soldiering On, Resolute, and This Is How We Grow. Clarkson’s writing for the exciting 15-piece orchestra Dissolute Society draws on many genres, from jazz to progressive rock to classical music, but is ultimately defined by the artist’s strength of character and imagination.
Pianist Jim Blomfield is of course one of the mainstays of Bristol’s jazz scene. He has backed countless big name guest soloists and released two albums of his own music which blend jazz with electronica and contemporary music influences. He is also well known as one of the UK’s finest salsa pianists and appears in many Latin ensembles, including recently touring with Cuban band Asere.
Bassist Riaan Vosloo recently gained a doctorate, and is well known as a performer, composer, producer and educator. He has composed music for TV and films and has production credits on albums by Jamie Cullum and Gregory Porter. He is currently course leader for the MA in Popular Music Practice at BIMM Bristol, and has previously taught at Birmingham Conservatoire.
Drummer Ryan Thrupp recently graduated with a First from the Royal Welsh College jazz degree course and besides his jazz activities plays with funky festival favourites Cut Capers and appeared on live BBC TV from Glastonbury 2023 with afro-beat balafon player N’famady Kouyaté.

Theatre: All Wrapped Up
2025-12-17 18:30 - 20:30, 2025-12-16 18:30 - 20:30 | Hen & Chicken Studio
Get ready for a festive treat! All Wrapped Up brings together exceptional performers of all ages for a dazzling collection of Christmas songs and seasonal showstoppers.
This sparkling family show is full of fun, laughter, and festive cheer — the perfect way to unwrap the joy of Christmas. Join us this Christmas for a holiday tradition not to be missed!

Theatre: All Wapped Up
2025-12-15 18:30 - 20:30 | Hen & Chicken Studio

Foreign Language Comedy (Spanish): ARDILLAS EN MI CABEZA
2025-12-14 21:00 - 22:30 | Chicken Shed
Me llamo Alex Ayres y a los 31 años me diagnosticaron con TDAH.
Llevo 4 meses haciendo este show en formato de WORK IN PROGRESS y ahora la tengo como show, y con un titulo que explica bastante como me siento con el TDAH: ARDILLAS EN LA CABEZA.
ARDILLAS EN LA CABEZA es mi nuevo show de Stand-up:
Si sabes quien soy, guay. Desde que me han diagnosticado con TDAH he podido llegar a entenderme a mi mismo un poquito mas. El show va a tirar un poco por este hilo. Soy ingles. No uso acentos muy bien cuando escribo. Ñí úsó lá grámátícá bíén támpóco. Que te jodas.
Naaaa, vente, sera muy risa.

My name is Alex Ayres and at the age of 31 I was diagnosed with ADHD.
I’ve been doing this show for 4 months in the format of WORK IN PROGRESS and now I have it as a show, and with a title that explains a lot how I feel with ADHD: SQUIRRELS IN THE HEAD.
SQUIRRELS IN THE HEAD is my new Stand-up show:
If you know who I am, cool. Since being diagnosed with ADHD I have been able to understand myself a little more. The show is going to pull a little by this thread. I’m English. I don’t use accents very well when I write. Ñí úsó lá grámátícá bíén támpóco. you.
Naaaa, come on, it will be very laughable.

Comedy: Stand Up For The Weekend with Christopher Hall
2025-12-13 20:00 - 22:30 | Hen & Chicken Studio
Stand Up For The Weekend with Christopher Hall featuring Alex Kitson & Robin Morgan

Stand Up For The Weekend is our flagship weekly show from The Comedy Box featuring top circuit headliners and guest acts plus incredibly funny and engaging comperes who host the show. A choice of table seats, reserved row seats and unreserved row seats are available to book online.

Headliner: CHRISTOPHER HALL
A rising star in the comedy world, Christopher Hall is known for his quick wit and infectious energy. With a knack for finding humour in the everyday – he is effortless on stage. Bursting with charismatic stage presence and natural comedic timing, and an ever growing fan base, Christopher Hall is undoubtedly one to watch, poised to leave a lasting mark on the world of comedy.

During lockdown, Christopher took to Instagram and TikTok and started releasing a series of sketches; he has built up an impressive following and a number of characters that have become known across the world. Since then, Christopher has taken his comedy and his charm on to the stand-up circuit and performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, with sell out shows as well as appearing on ITV’s The Stand Up Sketch Show. Following the UK success of his first debut show, Christopher took his show Self Helpless to Australia to tour the country and festivals down under.
“Big laughs and charisma” The List

Comedy: MRS SMITH 1, 2, 3, EYES ON ME!
2025-12-12 20:00 - 22:00 | Hen & Chicken Studio
Mrs Smith is back with a brand-new show; 123, Eyes on Me!
Ever wondered what your teacher was thinking?
Let Facebook’s Mrs Smith enlighten you!
Mrs Smith was an ordinary teacher in an ordinary school until she went viral on Facebook and accidentally became a stand-up comedian.

123, Eyes on Me! is the follow up to her sell-out show of 2023 that debuted at the Edinburgh Fringe.
“Mrs Smith transforms the stage into a classroom of laughter and nostalgia“

Live Jazz: Jonathan Gee Trio SW
2025-12-11 20:00 - 22:30 | Chicken Shed
We’re very excited to present pianist Jonathan Gee, one of the UK’s finest players with an international reputation including many European tours and frequent trips to New York. He is perhaps best known to the Bristol audience for some of the most memorable nights at the legendary Albert Inn, where he appeared many times with saxophonist Ed Jones and trumpeter Damon Brown. He visits as part of a short SW tour facilitated by Devon based bass player and sculptor Marcus Vergette.
Jonathan is one the most prolific and imaginative composer-pianists operating today, with a succession of ever-enticing bands and projects with world class line-ups from Europe and the USA. Aside from his own bands with which he has recorded 8 albums, he has also worked closely with Bobby Wellins, Claire Martin and Tim Whitehead, Pharoah Sanders, Mark Murphy and Art Farmer. With Tony Kofi he co-founded the Monk Liberation Front, whose legendary performances of the complete Thelonious Monk catalogue have led to award-winning recordings. He has performed in groups comprised of leading musicians from France, Finland and Italy, and a fantastic trio emerging from the hothouse of the New York jazz scene featuring Joseph Lepore and Nasheet Waits which has packed out Dizzy’s at Lincoln Centre.
Marcus Vergette, musician, bell-maker, sculptor, was born on the banks of the Mississippi river in Southern Illinois. He grew up in the UK. Much of his recent work involves making large bells (up to 3 metres high) in bronze, – his Time and Tide Bells. These are hung in specific locations around the coast and rung by the action of the sea at high tide. The first was installed at Appledore, Devon, in 2009. Subsequent sites range from Trinity Buoy Wharf, on the Thames, to the Outer Hebrides. Marcus is an accomplished double bass player and composer, and has played in projects led by UK jazz legend Mike Westbrook over the past two decades.

Theatre: Wednesday Night Improv: Christmas Special Triple Bill!
2025-12-10 19:30 - 22:00 | Chicken Shed
Wednesday Night Improv’s monthly show continues with a CHRISTMAS SPECIAL triple bill packed with quick wit, bold characters, and stories made up on the spot.
Join us for a midweek comedy boost featuring three of Bristol’s sharpest improv acts – each one creating a brand-new show right before your eyes, all inspired by audience suggestions.
[1] COSMIC PUDDLE
Cosmic Puddle – making the everyday ✨whimsical.✨ Narrative 2-prov from two of Bristol’s most improvisers – David Puck and Jack Greenwood. This show will feature a super secret special guest in Jack’s place – who will it be???
[2] LAST DAY ON EARTH
The first graduate house team of legendary improv night Parent’s Basement take a location from the audience and proceeds to take us on a journey through improvised sketch and character comedy.
Featuring performers from: This Is Your Musical, Up The Antics & After Dusk: The Improvised Twilight Zone, Last Day on Earth have travelled all over the country with their chaotic, hilarious comedic style and consistently deliver premium laughter.
[3] PRESSURE COOKER: THE IMPROVISED RESTAURANT SHOW
Pressure Cooker whisks you into the chaos of a fictional restaurant where chefs, customers, and kitchen staff are all played by a dynamic ensemble. Using YOUR stories as ingredients, our performers cook up hilarious, unpredictable scenes every night. From meltdowns to menu mayhem, it’s comedy served hot and fast.
“Pure Comedic Alchemy” – Bristol 24/7
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Whether you’re a seasoned comedy fan or just curious about what happens when performers make it all up as they go, this is a perfect night to dive into Bristol’s thriving improv scene. Expect laughter, surprises, and something completely different – every single time.
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Part of the Wednesday Night Improv series – We’re on the second Wednesday of every month! Details here: https://linktr.ee/wednightimprov

Talk: The History of Witchcraft in Popular Culture
2025-12-10 19:30 - 21:30 | Hen & Chicken Studio
Why do witches have such a strong pull on our collective imagination? Are they simply bewitching caricatures, or is there something more metaphysical that drives their continuing popularity?
From the printed engravings of the 15th century to the images created by AI in the 21st century, witches continue to occupy a place in popular culture. They feature in art, literature, theatre, music, and film, and many more.
Dr Julia Phillips will examine the role of the witch in popular culture, from its earlier depictions to the present day. Discover why this figure has remained so compelling, and how it has continually evolved to embody the fears, values and hopes of each generation. Expect a lively journey through history, myth and gender, and leave with a fresh perspective on one of culture’s most enduring icons.

Dr Julia Phillips is Hons Senior Research Associate and lecturer at the University of Bristol. She received her PhD for her research examining how witches and witchcraft were featured in newspapers in Victorian Britain. Her work has been published in books, academic journals, and popular magazines, and she is a regular presenter at conferences and events. Her primary research interests are the study of witchcraft in the 19th century and the development of modern Pagan Witchcraft in the 20th/21st centuries.

Theatre: Alone Together: A Night of Monologues
2025-12-09 20:00 - 22:30 | Hen & Chicken Studio
Alone Together: A Night of Monologues brings a vibrant mix of performers to the stage, each with something bold, funny, heartfelt, or unexpected to share. From intimate confessions to powerful character pieces, this one-night event celebrates the magic that happens when a single voice fills a room…and everyone listens.
Join us at the Hen & Chicken, Southville, on Tuesday 9th December at 8pm for a showcase of original monologues that spotlight the talent, humour, and heart of our community. Whether you’re a writer, performer, theatre-lover, or simply curious, come be part of a night that proves we’re never truly alone when we share our stories.
Presented by Clandestine Theatre, created as part of our weekly workshops for non-professional performers: Theatre Shed Sessions
Directed by Sophie Cottle
Guest Direction from George Nichols & Tom Brennan
Workshop Assistant Axel Bode

Theatre: Panto in a Day! - BS3 DICK WHITTINGTON
2025-12-07 18:30 - 20:30 | Hen & Chicken Studio
The ‘play in a day’ team have once again recruited actors and artists of all ages from the local community to join the cast and create BS3 – DICK WHITTINGTON
The performance will be at 18:30 at The Hen and Chicken Studio and is open to all. Tickets are £5 plus booking fee . All profits from the pantomime tickets will be split equally between Cancer Research UK and BS3 Community Development Charity.
If you or your child would like to be part of the cast or crew please email enquiries@actingoutdrama.com

Comedy: Stand Up For The Weekend with Dan Tiernan
2025-12-06 20:00 - 22:30 | Hen & Chicken Studio
Stand Up For The Weekend with Dan Tiernan featuring Kate Barron & Tom Toal

Stand Up For The Weekend is our flagship weekly show from The Comedy Box, featuring top circuit headliners and guest acts plus incredibly funny and engaging comperes who host the show. A choice of table seats, reserved row seats and unreserved row seats are available to book online.

Headliner: DAN TIERNAN
Comedian Dan Tiernan made a big impact on the UK comedy circuit back in 2022 after winning both the BBC New Comedy Award and the British Comedian Of The Year, and if this wasn’t enough he was winner of the Best Newcomer at the ISH Comedy Awards in 2023 and nominated for Best Newcomer at the Edinburgh Festival the same year. Since then, Dan has also been nominated for the Next Big Thing by the British Comedy Guide in 2025. With all of these accolades it does make you wonder where Dan can go from here.

Dan is hugely in demand and has performed at the Melbourne Comedy Festival, the Cat Laughs Comedy Festival in Ireland, and the BBC Comedy Festival, and has appeared on various radio and TV shows including The Last Leg, Live At The Apollo, 8 Out Of 10 Cats does Countdown, and The Stand Up Sketch Show.
“Raucously entertaining” The Guardian

Live Jazz: Harry Dowell Quartet
2025-12-04 20:00 - 22:30 | Chicken Shed
First time at the club for this fine band, check out the video at the bottom for Harry playing Coltrane’s Giant Steps.
Harry Dowell is an Exeter-based saxophonist, multi-instrumentalist, and composer. A graduate of the University of Bristol, where he studied jazz flute and saxophone under Kevin Figes, Harry draws influence from post-bop and contemporary jazz artists such as John Coltrane, Chick Corea, Pat Metheny and Kurt Rosenwinkel. His thoughtful yet complex improvising and rich, warm tone have been heard across the country with artists such as Lack of Afro and Jonah Hitchens, from Glastonbury Festival to the airwaves of BBC Radio. Harry is a mainstay on the Devon jazz scene, and his own band was recently heard at Sidmouth Jazz and Blues Festival.
Based in the south west, Felix Yeats-Brown is a pianist, physicist and composer living in Bristol. As an alumnus of youth groups such as NYJC and SYJO, he has been involved with jazz from a young age, and has had opportunities to play alongside experienced musicians such as Yazz Ahmed and Julián Argüelles. Felix and Harry are common collaborators – they performed together at Sidmouth Jazz Festival, and the two recently finished recording the first EP for their joint project “Third Room”.
John Donnelly is a Graduate of Leeds University with thirty years experience performing, teaching and composing. He has worked as a session player all over the world and is now a regular on the UK jazz scene. Known for his solid time keeping and traditional approach John is often first call for visiting musicians looking for a pickup band in the South West.
James Fuke is an in-demand drummer on the Bristol scene. His jazz pedigree sees him playing with top Bristol sax player Craig Crofton.

TALK: The History of Horror Films & Women
2025-12-02 19:30 - 21:30 | Hen & Chicken Studio
Horror films often get a bad rap for how they treat women. Many lean on explicit sex and violence, reduce women into disposable victims, or fall back on familiar roles: the mother, the virgin, and the whore. But is that the whole story?

In this talk, Prof Susanne Kord takes a fresh look at women in horror, from the “final girl” who outlasts everyone else to the archetypes we love to fear. Drawing on film and cartoon theory, she explores how horror shapes the way we see women, whether audiences share some responsibility for what they watch, and whether an “ethical” horror film can exist.
At its core, this talk wrestles with two big questions: why do we keep watching horror – and what does that say about us?
Speaker Bio:
Professor Susanne Kord is a Professor Emeritus of German at UCL and a member of the British Academy. Her research interests include German history and culture, English literature, cinema (with an emphasis on horror and/or gender issues), and the history of crime (in real life, literature, and film). She is the author of eleven books and dozens of essays, and has received seven major awards for her writing, including a life-time achievement award. So far she has gone on three international lecture tours, and additionally offered fifteen keynote or plenary addresses at major conventions, four named lectures, and hundreds of other talks.

Comedy: Stand Up For The Weekend with Jarred Christmas
2025-11-29 20:00 - 22:30 | Hen & Chicken Studio
Stand Up For The Weekend with Jarred Christmas featuring Andrew White & Jeremy Flynn

Stand Up For The Weekend is our flagship weekly show from The Comedy Box, featuring top circuit headliners and guest acts plus incredibly funny and engaging comperes who host the show. A choice of table seats, reserved row seats and unreserved row seats are available to book online.

Headliner: JARRED CHRISTMAS

New Zealander Jarred Christmas has a unique style that deftly mixes gags with storytelling. He has a dynamic onstage persona and the ability to improvise and roll with anything that’s thrown his way, making his comedy sizzle with originality.
Full of passion and charisma, Jarred takes the audience on a hilarious thrill ride of laughs and gasps with an edge of anger that manifests itself in his incredible rants against the small things in our lives. His confidence leaves the audience secure in the knowledge that they are in capable hands. His material is strong and distinctive, drawn from life experience and random happenings.
Jarred’s unique and larger than life persona has won him fans across the country, proving him to be one of the most likeable stars on the circuit. His energetic storytelling has earned him a whole host of accolades including a Chortle Award and has catapulted him to the forefront of our TV screens in shows such as Mock The Week (BBC2), Never Mind the Buzzcocks (BBC2) 8 out of 10 Cats, (Channel 4), Argumental (Dave), One Night Stand (Dave) and Let’s Dance for Comic Relief (BBC 1). His radio credits include Act Your Age (BBC Radio 4), and Flight of the Conchords (BBC Radio 2).
“Likeable, intelligent and full of unpredictable energy” The Scotsman

Muisc: Marginal Gains 90s & 00s band night
2025-11-28 20:00 - 22:30 | Chicken Shed
The band are back for another night of 90’s & 00’s nostalgia!
Turbocharge your weekend with a night of 90s and 00s grunge and britpop BANGERS
Playing a selection of 90s and early 00s rock and indie including Ash, Arctic Monkey’s, Blur, Green Day, Nirvana, Oasis, Pulp, Rage Against the Machine, Radiohead Red Hot Chilli Peppers, The Killers, and many more

Tickets are free!

Jazz: Yetii
2025-11-27 20:00 - 22:30 | Chicken Shed
Alex Veitch – piano, Ashley John Long – bass, Alex Goodyear – drums
Yetii return to the club to celebrate the release of their second album Inner Worlds.
Inner Worlds is about what goes on beneath the surface. Each composition immerses the listener in a different experience or state of mind. Singing melodies open and shift to reveal their inner workings. Solos morph into group improvisations: a shared single voice that ebbs and flows between and within the band’s original compositions. The album is a distillation and documentation of the sound we have formed over time at our monthly residency in Bristol over the last 7 years.
2025 has been a big year in the world of Yetii. They played their concert hall debut to a sold out 400-strong crowd at St. George’s in Bristol, supported The Bad Plus on their recent UK tour, and have sold out each of their monthly gigs at The Greenbank in Bristol, including collaborations with Parliamentary Award winner Arun Ghosh, Get the Blessing’s Jake McMurchie, and most recently Edition’s Ant Law.
“all played with great beauty and sensitivity… a standing ovation greeted the end of their set ” Jazzwise
“A performance that enthralled and delighted the audience ★★★★★” The Jazz Mann
“Fluent and wildly inventive improvisers” UK Jazz News

Comedy: UROOJ ASHFAQ - HOW TO BE A BADDIE
2025-11-26 20:00 - 22:30 | Hen & Chicken Studio
Edinburgh Comedy Awards Best Newcomer Urooj Ashfaq is back, but this time she’s different.

No longer is she a good girl and a relatable comedian. Most importantly, she is not sweet. Now she’s a bona fide bad girl and edgelord who at times mentions sexy things and topics. Come and watch her to find out what’s happened…

One of India’s most exciting comics, Urooj Ashfaq heads out on her second UK tour with her new show How To Be A Baddie, the follow-up to her debut show Oh No!, which won the Edinburgh Comedy Best Newcomer Award before selling out at London’s Soho Theatre and on tour around the UK.
“Back-to-back laughs… a must see” ★★★★★ Wee Review
