Hen & Chicken

Comedy: Alice Fraser A PASSION FOR PASSION
2025-02-09 19:30 - 22:30 UTC | Hen & Chicken Studio
A Comedy Show About Writing A Book About Romance
Alice Fraser has fallen in love… with romance novels. She’s written a delirious love letter to the genre and now she has to live with the consequences.
If you love romance novels, or if you have no idea how anyone could love romance novels, this is the show for you.
A show that will make you laugh, cry, and rethink happily ever after.
(With a guest appearance from the reclusive, mysterious, interdimensionally successful and arguably fictional self published romance maven and online bestseller, D’Ancey LaGuarde)

Comedy: Stand Up For The Weekend with Roger Monkhouse & Guests
2025-02-08 20:00 - 22:30 | Hen & Chicken Studio
Stand Up For The Weekend with Roger Monkhouse featuring Tom Deacon & Clint Edwards
Stand Up For The Weekend is The Comedy Box’s flagship weekly comedy show. It features top circuit headliners and guest acts, as well as incredibly funny and engaging comperes who host the show. Online booking is available for table seats, reserved row seats, and unreserved row seats.
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.

Comedy: Paul Taylor F*** ME, I'M FRENCH
2025-02-07 20:00 - 23:00 | Hen & Chicken Studio
Sorry- This show is now sold out

Paul Taylor makes fun of the French and they love it. Or they tell him to f*** off back to England! After 3 sell-out bilingual world tours, Paul shares his story of being a British expat in France, this time 100% in English. Hold onto your berets!

Paul is a British comedian who has been living in France since 2009. His trademark is poking fun at the French and the French lifestyle, as well as at himself, by sharing his offbeat expat experiences, including linguistic misunderstandings and cultural mix-ups.

He made a name for himself in France by creating, writing and starring in the hit TV show “WTF France” as well as being the first comedian in France to perform bilingual stand-up shows. With over 1.5 million followers and hundreds of millions of views on social media, Paul has taken “Le French Bashing” to anozerrr leveulle!

In 2016, he released his first bilingual show, “#FRANGLAIS,” to phenomenal success. He followed it up with his second and third shows, “So British (ou presque)” and “Bisoubye”. With this trilogy of bilingual shows, Paul has captivated tens of thousands of spectators with sold-out performances in the most prestigious of venues in France and around the world.

Alongside his stage performances, Paul has also ventured into creating video content. Spotted early in his career by the French TV channel Canal+, he developed and produced the hit TV show “WTF France,” which catapulted him into the limelight. Paul’s online videos now have hundreds of millions of views, and he has over 1.5 million followers on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

Music: Kieron Garrett Quartet
2025-02-06 20:00 - 22:30 | Chicken Shed
The Be-Bop Club presents Kieron Garrett Quartet
Pianist Kieron Garrett has been well known on the London circuit for many years and has performed at some of the UK’s most famous venues including Ronnie Scott’s, 606 Club, the Jazz Café, Pizza Express Jazz Club and the Royal Albert Hall. He has shared stages with some of the UK’s finest musicians including Dave O’Higgins, Tony Kofi and Vasilis Xenopoulos, and has so far recorded two albums with his quartet and several with his funk group Synthonic. Now relocated to the less hectic environment of Sidmouth, Kieron has hooked up with many of the best players based in Dorset and Devon and is busy energising the jazz scene on the south coast.
Joining Kieron are Mike Sayers on sax, a really melodic player with a great alto sound, and the rhythm team of Marcus Vergette and Coach York on bass and drums. Marcus and Coach have for many years been the rhythm team powering Mike Westbrook’s Uncommon Orchestra, with which they have performed at Ronnie Scott’s and international festivals.
The set includes some bebop classics alongside some classy funk tunes from the likes of Grover Washington, Jeff Lorber and The Crusaders.

Talk: THE MAGIC OF CHOCOLATE
2025-02-06 19:30 - 23:00 | Hen & Chicken Studio
We will be talking about chocolate in all it various forms, how it is sourced, how it is made, how some of it has great health benefits and some of it not, and we will have a tasting of local craft chocolate from Radeks.

Comedy: Marjolein Robertson O
2025-02-05 20:00 - 23:00 | Hen & Chicken Studio
A show about the body.
Marjolein Robertson embarks on the second instalment of her standup trilogy by looking at a health condition that, left unspoken about in the past, was almost fatal. Now, shaking off the shame and armed with knowledge, Marjolein talks through menstrual health with humour and another Shetland folktale.
This time the oldest story of Shetland about the deity Sea Midder. This show is not for the faint-hearted, with 9 audience members fainting and another 18 walkouts during its run at the Fringe. However, this is not gore for gore’s sake. This show has the potential to save lives. Also: JOKES.

Talk: Autism & Women
2025-02-04 19:00 - 21:00 | Hen & Chicken Studio
Uncover why autistic women have been overlooked and the new research transforming our understanding, with Q+A.
Autism has long been seen as a condition affecting boys and men, leading to the assumption that women and girls couldn’t be autistic at all. However, recent research shows that autism often presents differently in girls and women, challenging outdated stereotypes. While the old ratio was thought to be 12 boys to every girl, new figures suggest it’s closer to 3-to-1.
This talk explores the male bias in autism research, showcasing the new knowledge about autism in girls and women that has developed in the last decade, and look at some of the support strategies which are being developed specifically to help this group with their unique experiences.
Doors open at 7pm, talk starts at 7.30pm – come down early to grab a bite to eat!

Speaker bio:
Dr Felicity Sedgewick is an autism and neurodiversity researcher and academic at the University of Bristol. She has worked with autistic and neurodivergent people for over a decade, particularly with autistic women and girls. Her research has focused on gender differences in autism, relationships, and mental health, as well as experiences in higher education. Her projects are all co-designed with autistic and neurodivergent people, and the goal is always for her research to have a meaningful and positive impact. Working with autistic co-authors, she has written two books on Autism and Masking, and Autistic Relationships, and regularly gives talks, podcasts, and writes for national and international media.

Comedy: Ignacio Lopez - Señor Self Destruct
2025-02-02 20:00 - 23:00 | Hen & Chicken Studio
Spain’s Best Export(TM) Ignacio Lopez is on a mission to destroy himself, and build a better version. Leaner. Smarter. Funnier. Join the star of Live At The Apollo, Have I Got News For You, Comedy Central, QI, House of Games, & more, for a riotously funny exploration of vices, intrusive thoughts, and self-improvement.
Expect an armada of playful, wicked humour from the exotic outsider comedian, as he tries to identify his faults and how to improve. Is it worth going to the gym? Can you be addicted to technology? Do you know what happens if you give spiders drugs? Ignacio uses his razor-sharp wit, and effortless charm to tackle these questions and a bunch of other irrelevant horsesh*t.

Comedy: Stand Up For The Weekend with Garrett Millerick & Guests
2025-02-01 20:00 - 22:30 | Hen & Chicken Studio
Garrett Millerick is an acclaimed stand up comedian, writer and director. His unique and versatile style has led to him being in great demand on the alternative and club circuits both in the UK and internationally.

Garrett is known for his grumpy, grouchy persona who is fed up with the pretenses of the modern world, aiming his criticism at everything from the fraudulent activity of the recycling industry to growing depression inflicted by miserablist, oversharing celebrities. His shouty, ironic delivery keeps you on the edge of your seat and the crushing punchlines can leave you exhilarated as he rages against yet more societal hypocrisies.
“A virtuoso display of unforgivingly grumpy stand up delivered with fire in his soul” Chortle

Comedy: Ray O'Leary YOUR LAUGHTER IS JUST MAKING ME STRONGER
2025-01-31 20:00 - 23:00 | Hen & Chicken Studio
The deadpan Ray O’Leary (Taskmaster NZ) is a big brain in an ill-fitting suit. Every time he does stand-up and people laugh, he gets stronger. Soon he will be the most powerful man in the universe. When the show ends, he’ll be able to lift a car above his head.
Fresh from a sold-out Edinburgh Fringe Festival run, the Best Show Nomination at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival and 3x nominee for Best Male Comedian by the NZ Comedy Guild. Ray is a staple on Australasian television including Have You Been Paying Attention?, Thank God You’re Here, and 7 Days.

Music: Adrian Cox Trio ft.LIVE Illustration by Con McHugh
2025-01-30 20:45 - 23:00 | Hen & Chicken Studio
Adrian Cox Trio | Makin’ Runs | SPECIAL ft. Live Illustration with Con Mchugh
In association with the Bristol Jazz Festival
“Makin’ Runs,” the latest project by internationally acclaimed clarinetist Adrian Cox, delves into alternative ragtime repertoire from the early jazz era, aiming to capture and express the timeless essence of the music.
According to legend, “Makin’ Runs” is a tune attributed to Buddy Bolden, heard by Bunk Johnson in New Orleans. The phrase symbolises Bolden’s vision for inventive improvisations whilst never repeating himself.
The trio endeavours to emulate that spirit, crafting tight yet dynamic arrangements that honour the music’s original intent, allowing ample room for improvisational fire.
The program includes compositions by Duke Ellington, Sidney Bechet, Jelly Roll Morton, Barney Bigard and many more.
The trio is completed by the incredible talents of
Will Sach (double bass) & Alex “Honey” Boulton (guitar).
The fourth member of this project came through a collaboration with master illustrator Con McHugh.
Adrian had become familiar with Con’s work through his Bristol Jazz Festival offerings. His vision for the Makin’ Runs artwork was incredible and he has been instrumental in creating the feel for this project all the way through. Tonight, Con will appear in the flesh to create live imagary as the band play through their concert. This is not to be missed……

Jazz: Jon Lloyd Quartet
2025-01-30 20:00 - 22:30 | Chicken Shed
Since their previous visit in Feb 2023 the Jon Lloyd Quartet have released their album Earth Songs, which has been met with huge critical acclaim and has achieved close to a million worldwide track streams.
“The interplay between the quartet members is magical, instinctive… creating music of often startling beauty.” – Peter Vacher, Jazzwise magazine, 2024, **** album review
“A set which channels deep feeling with considerable power … a mood of patient exploration as beguiling as it is beautiful.” – Jon Turney, London Jazz News, 2024
Saxophonist Jon Lloyd arrived on the UK free jazz scene in the early 1990s and rose to prominence with recordings on Leo records and HatHut, and with many UK and European concerts with his quartet comprising John Law, Paul Rogers and Mark Sanders. Highlights during this period included Berlin’s FMP Festival, several Arts Council tours and the 1993 Contemporary Music Network tour with the Bill Frisell Band. Over the years Jon has embraced contemporary composition, abstract improv and jazz, but in the last decade has developed his music towards the European Jazz aesthetic, notably recording “Vanishing Points” in 2013 with Asaf Sirkis, Tom Farmer, John Law and Rob Palmer.
John Law is one of the outstanding pianists in the UK. His solo, duo, trio and quartet projects have played throughout the UK and Europe for 30 years, and has played with many of the greats of UK jazz: Asaf Sirkis, Yuri Goloubev, Andy Sheppard, Tim Garland, Paul Dunmall. His most recent projects include “Congregation” with Ashley John Long and James Mainwaring, “Re-Creations” with Sam Crockatt and “Renaissance” with Jon Lloyd and Patrick Dunn. John and Jon Lloyd have enjoyed a 30 year musical relationship, collaborating on many varied projects.
It’s first time at the club for bassist Nick Pini. Nick has an incredible CV but has been sucked in to the strange jazz vortex of Frome, so is living relatively nearby. He has worked with Laura Marling, Ethan Johns, Nick Mulvey, Tom Jones, Mary-Chapin Carpenter, Gilbert O’Sullivan, Seth Lakeman, Ramin Karimloo and Will Butterworth whilst keeping a keen hand in the UK’s rich and diverse jazz scene. He has also recently moved into roles as MD and in string arranging and production.
Alex Goodyear is a rising star of the drums and is rapidly gaining national and international recognition, having toured Europe and Israel in late 2022. His dynamic performances have made him a favourite at many UK jazz venues.

Comedy: Sara Barron & Guests
2025-01-25 20:00 - 23:00 | Hen & Chicken Studio
Stand Up For The Weekend with Sara Barron featuring Joe Sutherland & compere Clint Edwards
Sara Barron is a relentlessly honest and desperately funny comic, relating brutal and sometimes filthy truths in a warm and welcoming way.

She is an American writer turned stand up living in London. While Stateside, she wrote for Vanity Fair, published two essay collections, and earned the role of host for the hit U.S. storytelling show, The Moth. This, in turn, gave her the bug for live performance. It also introduced her to her (British) husband, which prompted an eventual move to the UK. Her work has featured most recently on The Guilty Feminist, BBC R4Xtra, and Dave Gorman’s “Modern Life is Goodish”.

After a number of years in the UK, any semblance of American positivity has been stripped away, replaced by withering British cynicism. There’s certainly more than a hint of Joan Rivers’s cold contempt as she sneers at the joyous affirmations of others.

Sara couldn’t be brassier, sassier or louder-mouthed if she tried. She parades her sex life, friendships and militant subjectivity across the stage.

Music: Daniel Kimbro
2025-01-23 20:00 - 23:00 | Hen & Chicken Studio
Raised on American Roots music in East Tennessee, Daniel Kimbro is a multi GRAMMY-nominated musician with more than 20 years of experience performing, recording, and writing Roots music. As an accompanist Daniel has shared stages and studios with notable artists including Eric Clapton, Jerry Douglas, John Hiatt, The Transatlantic Sessions, Sarah Jarosz, and myriad others.
While his recording credits are numerous, it is his new solo album Carpet in The Kitchen that best
epitomizes Daniel’s experience as a writer and arranger. This debut collection features stories set to lyrics and chords that evoke Appalachian murder ballads and story-songs rooted in the folk traditions of Scotland, Ireland and England. The opening track ‘Loyston’ remembers the upheaval brought by the displacement of his fellow Appalachians with the construction of the TVA dams, focusing on the inundation of the eponymous town in Northeast Tennessee. Guest appearances on Carpet in The Kitchen include Jerry Douglas on slide guitars, Mike Baggetta (Nels Kline, David Wax Museum) on electric guitar, and Jordan Perlson (Gary Burton, Becca Stevens, Snarky Puppy) on Drumset.
Known to listeners across the US, UK and Canada for his work with the folk-blues trio Harley
Kimbro Lewis, Daniel continues to tour these regions with Sarah Jarosz, The Jerry Douglas Band, the Earls of Leicester and others. When time allows, Daniel can be found on bodies of water of any size with a fly rod in hand, and he is active in promoting and supporting the Conservation of these
watersheds and their colourful constituents.

Jazz: Sam Crockatt Trio
2025-01-23 20:00 - 22:30 | Chicken Shed
Saxophonist Sam Crockatt returns to the ​club with his new trio line-up.
Having graduated from the Royal Academy, Sam Crockatt formed a band with Gwilym Simcock, Oli Hayhurst and Ben Reynolds leading to debut recording Howeird in 2008, which won a Parliamentary Jazz Award later that year. Flood Tide followed commended by The Guardian for it’s “Haunting lyricism”. Citing John Coltrane, Joe Henderson, Wayne Shorter, Sonny Rollins and Lee Konitz among his musical influences, Sam’s ability to marry his understanding of past masters with contemporary styles keeps him constantly in demand and has taken him to stages at the EFG London Jazz Festival, Cheltenham Jazz Festival, Kragujevac Jazz Festival (Serbia) and WDR Festival (Cologne). He also appears on albums by vocalist Kaz Simmons and pianist Sam Leak. In 2011 Sam and his young family moved to Mells in Somerset, the peal of the bells in his new home village inspiring the title track of most recent recording Mells Bells – the album has drawn praise from such eminent publications as The Guardian, Jazzwise Magazine, The Telegraph and The Financial Times.
“Mells Bells further burnishes Crockatt’s substantial reputation” – The Guardian.
Bassist Henrik Jensen moved from Denmark to London in 1997 and is a graduate of the Royal Academy. He has toured the world from Tokyo to Moscow with various modern jazz projects and also as part of the band for close harmony group The Puppini Sisters. Henrik has previously appeared at the club as band leader with his quartet Followed By Thirteen and trio featuring Danish pianist Esben Tjalve.
Drummer Dave Smith has now appeared at the club quite a few times with various bands. He has performed with US jazz greats such as Eddie Henderson and Donny McCaslin, but is possibly best known for his time with Robert Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters.

Talk:The History of Warhammer with James Wallis
2025-01-21 19:30 - 21:00 | Hen & Chicken Studio
Since they were first created forty years ago, the Warhammer games have gone from a cult hobby to a global cultural force, with their immersive fantasy universes, stunning artwork, beautifully sculpted miniatures, and engrossing gameplay. But what is the secret formula that turned these games into an international phenomenon with millions of players? Where did Warhammer come from, and what made it so successful? Join us to discover the intricacies of Warhammer’s journey to becoming the cultural phenomenon it is today.
In this talk, James Wallis will expertly guide us through the cultural influences that give the Warhammer worlds their unique tone, from heavy metal and Victorian science-fiction writers to the political landscape of the 1980s, and how a scrappy band of Nottingham-based game designers and toy-soldier makers turned their obsession into one of the UK’s most successful companies. Whether you’re new to Warhammer or a lifelong fan, this talk will shine a new light on the game, illuminating the lesser-known facts and context about its creation. Followed by Q&A.

Music: El Hall / Gabriel Moreno
2025-01-19 17:00 - 20:00 | Chicken Shed
Bristol house boater El Hall (Larkham and Hall) joins London-dwelling Gibraltarean Gabriel Moreno (The Quivering Poets) for another heart-swelling double bill of bohemian song-poetry.
Political, staggeringly beautiful, uplifting and at times eminently danceable, these two song-poet kings will fill your hearts with stunning words, duende and music. Gabriel Moreno – Cerys Matthews favourite, 7-times published poet, beloved singer-songwriter of London and former cultural ambassador for Gibraltar – in a double-bill with El Hall – of whom the NME lavished such praise as ‘The best collection of songs I’ve ever had to review. An awe-inspiring rogue’, also former crowned king of Bristol Songwriter of the Year.

Comedy: Stand Up For The Weekend with Thomas Green & Guests
2025-01-18 20:00 - 23:00 | Hen & Chicken Studio
Like most things in Australia, international headliner Thomas Green is out to kill you… with comedy!​
He attacks every stage with skill, precision and a level of energy that engages and commands the entire room. His crowd work is revered, likability off the charts and he has the innate ability to get any audience instantly on side with his charismatic Aussie best mate persona.
Green is one of those rare comics who, when you watch them for the first time, you know you’re watching a true genius at work. He has the elasticity of Jim Carrey; the character range of Robin Williams; the absurdity of Eddie Izzard and the energy of Lee Evans with the addition of his own unique brand of engaging storytelling; he really is the full package.
Thomas Green was born to be a stand-up comedian and with so much momentum and heat building up around him he is destined to be the hottest new thing.

Music: Tony Moore 'AWAKE'
2025-01-17 20:00 - 22:30 | Hen & Chicken Studio
Get ready to be blown away! Bristol-born Tony Moore takes his electrifying one-man show, “AWAKE” to the stage. Tony’s journey in the music industry has been nothing short of legendary, from being an original member of Iron Maiden to playing with Meatloaf and hitting the charts with his own band in Holland to touring the world as a member of the band Cutting Crew (I Just Died In Your Arms Tonight).
Now Tony’s bringing his own brand of musical magic to the world with his stunning and soul-stirring solo performance of a unique live concept called “AWAKE.“
“AWAKE” is a journey of self-discovery and a quest for truth, meaning, and love in a world that’s gone mad. Tony has combined cutting-edge graphics, immersive video, and unforgettable songs to create an experience like no other.
Expect to be wowed by his imaginative stagecraft, channeling the greats of the last four decades, but with a fresh and deeply personal twist.
Audience members have been raving about the show, calling it “one of the greatest shows they’ve ever seen,” “mind-blowing,” “bonkers yet beautiful,” and “electrifying and emotional in equal measure. ”Don’t miss your chance to experience “AWAKE.” After playing to sold-out crowds in London for over a year, Tony is now ready to hit the road and share his unique brand of magic with the world. Get your tickets now!
Tony’s special guest will be EDDY hailing from a small town with big dreams. EDDY has etched her unique sound onto the musical landscape, captivating audiences with her ethereal melodies and heartfelt lyrics.
Inspired by the likes of Lizzy McAlpine, Paolo Nutini, Billie Eilish and Eva Cassidy, EDDYs songs are a tapestry of emotions. Blending elements of indie, pop, folk, & R&B, her music defies easy categorisation, painting EDDY as an artist who thrives on pushing the boundaries of genre.
Since writing her first songs, she’s now honed her craft into a profession performing at various venues and events and being played on BBC Radio 1 and Radio 6.

Jazz: Alex Merritt Quartet
2025-01-16 20:00 - 22:30 | Chicken Shed
Amazing new line-up put together by phenomenal saxophonist Alex Merritt.
Back in 2016 Alex’s debut album ‘Anatta’, featuring legendary American drummer Jeff Williams, received critical acclaim as a “promising debut, of striking quality” from the Guardian’s John Fordham and was praised as “one of the best UK jazz recordings I’ve heard this year” by Marlbank’s Stephen Graham on its release. Since then he has released a further two albums, The Fresh Sound Ensemble’s Common Threads, and Mind Ear Ladder from the quintet Alex co-leads with trumpeter Steve Fishwick. The Merritt/Fishwick Quintet previously played at the club as part of their Arts Council funded tour in 2022.
Elliot Galvin emerged in the 2010s and has been recognised as one of the finest pianists of his generation. His critically acclaimed trio have released 4 albums to date being named one of the 2018 albums of the year in both Downbeat and Jazzwise Magazines and winning the prestigious European Young Musician of the year Award in 2014. Elliot is a prolific sideman touring internationally and recording with Shabaka Hutchings, Norma Winstone, Marius Neset, Mark Lockheart, Emma Jean Thackray and the Mercury Nominated band Dinosaur, amongst many others.
Will Harris is one of Bristol’s finest bassists, who somehow manages to juggle the twin careers of musician and medical doctor. Some years back now Will completed a Masters at the Royal Academy, which allowed him to make many contacts in London, so he is often to be found playing in the capital – notably with saxophonist Matt Anderson and the big band of trumpet star Simon Gardner [Strictly Come Dancing, Robbie Williams etc].
Jeremy Stacey is a huge star in the world of drumming. He started his career by wowing the London jazz scene alongside his twin brother guitarist Paul in the Stacey Brothers. Another musician who has been sucked in to the mysterious Frome jazz vortex, Jeremy frequently performs in his new home town with sax legend Iain Ballamy. Prior to this however, he became one of the UK’s top rock and pop session drummers with an astonishing CV which includes Sheryl Crow, the Finn Brothers, Nick Harper, Noel Gallagher, The Waterboys, Thomas Anders, Echo & the Bunnymen, Eurythmics, Joe Cocker, Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes, Adam F, Andrea Bocelli, Patricia Kaas, Susanna Hoffs, Mike Scott, Robbie Williams, Aztec Camera, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Nerina Pallot and for a bit of jazz Claire Martin (Take My Heart, 1999). So you should probably come to hear him.

Talk: The Gut-Brain Connection: Nourish Your Mind, Body and Microbiome
2025-01-14 19:30 - 21:30 | Hen & Chicken Studio
By now, you might have heard that your gut is crucial in maintaining your health as a whole. But what does it actually do? And what does a healthy gut look like? Research is mounting that its role extends way beyond the digestive tract, from impacting sleep, immunity, skin, hormones, to mental health. Join Dr Emily Prpa in this talk to digest the latest gut microbiome science on your second brain by exploring the most recent scientific discoveries, while busting myths surrounding fad diets that promise to miraculously boost gut health.
In particular, we will focus on the Gut-Brain axis: the two-way communication between the gut and the brain. With 90% of your serotonin (or the ‘happy hormone’) being produced in the gut, we will answer which foods are in focus when it comes to boosting your mood. Better yet, this microbiome masterclass will holistically guide you towards cultivating a balanced, gut-friendly diet that nurtures both body and mind.
Dr Emily Prpa is an award-winning nutritionist, with a PhD in Nutritional Sciences from King’s College London. Her research has focused on the therapeutic effects of plant-based foods and on advancing our understanding of how the gut microbiome influences various aspects of health and wellbeing. Her research has been presented internationally, published in high-impact journals and helped inform UK Food Policy. Today she is a Visiting Lecturer at King’s College London and known as The Nutrition Reporter on Instagram where she is recognised as a trusted voice in wellbeing. Emily is considered one of the leading experts in her field and is frequently featured in the media, including Sky News and the BBC.

Comedy: Stand Up For The Weekend with Ria Lina and Guests
2025-01-11 20:00 - 23:00 | Hen & Chicken Studio
Ria Lina is a touring Filipina comedian, actor and writer known for her appearances on BBC’s Live At The Apollo, Have I Got News For You, The Now Show and Mock The Week – and in November was named as one of The Evening Standard’s ‘Hottest Comedians You Should Be Watching Now’.
Throughout her stand-up career Ria has taken five shows to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival with her work tackling topics such as autism, topical news and racial identity. Her career stretches from stage and screen to radio and the occasional ukulele – all in a unique style described by ‘The Scotsman’ as ‘fearless , provocative and very funny’.
Ria is the only Filipina comedian in British stand-up and has a BSc in Experimental Pathology, an MSc in Forensic Science and a PhD in Virology under her belt, so it’s not only Ria’s comedy that’s highly intelligent. A regular pundit on Sky News, BBC News, Times Radio and TalkRadio, Ria is in demand for both her scientific insight, confident delivery and biting wit.
A prolific writer, Ria has written for the Ladyboys of Bangkok ‘Fantasy & Feathers’ and ‘Glamorous Amorous’ tours, and wrote and acted in ITV2 comedy sketch show ‘Meet the Blogs’. She has also written and presented her own Channel 4 documentary that revealed the truth behind the myths that surround East Asian women in Britain.

Jazz: Andy Hague's Double Standards
2025-01-09 20:00 - 22:30 | Hen & Chicken Studio
To ease us in to the new year we launch with Andy Hague’s Double Standards, focusing on some less commonly played melodic standards with maybe a couple of originals thrown in for variety.
A rare appearance at the club for pianist Dale Hambridge who is always super busy – he has previously played at the Hen and Chicken with Jingu Bang, and has long associations with performers such as Moonlight Saving Time, We Are Leif, Nick Malcolm and Lucy Moon.
Danish bassist Henrik Jensen has led his own bands several times at the club and has appeared on the Double Standards CD since 2020. Drummer of the moment Ryan Thrupp completes the line-up

Talk: The Neuroscience of Music with Prof. Lauren Stewart
2025-01-08 19:30 - 21:30 | Hen & Chicken Studio
The ability to make sense of musical sound has been observed in every culture since the beginning of recorded history. In early infancy, it allows us to respond to the sing-song interactions from a primary caregiver and to engage in musical play. In later life, it shapes our social and cultural identities and modulates our affective and emotional states. In this illuminating talk, Professor Lauren Stewart will show that the ability to perceive and make sense of musical sound is remarkably sophisticated, and can be acquired simply by being exposed to the music of one’s own culture. From those who have too little music in their lives (those with ‘congenital amusia’) to those with too much (musical earworms or even hallucinations), we will consider what we can learn from studying these phenomena scientifically. Finally, we will explore the therapeutic potential of music, with examples from stroke rehabilitation and perinatal mental health in sub-Saharan Africa. This talk will give you a unique insight into music, its place in our lives, communities and culture and why it has been referred to as ‘the most underutilised health asset on the planet’.
Lauren is Professor of Psychology at Goldsmiths where she founded the MSc in Music Mind and Brain and co-leads a research group in this area. She has published widely on topics including learning and plasticity, congenital amusia, earworms and therapeutic aspects of music. She has been engaged in several citizen science and public engagement projects, including a Silent Disco earworm experiment at Manchester’s Museum of Science and Industry, a live experiment on musical plagiarism at the Science Museum’s Dana Centre and an in depth discussion on the ‘Tingle Factor’ in music as part of Radio 3’s Wellcome Collection residency. She is currently leading a large global health initiative called CHIME Project, which explores how culturally embedded musical practices can support women’s mental health during pregnancy.

Comedy: Finlay Christie & Guests
2025-01-04 20:00 - 23:00 | Hen & Chicken Studio
At 19, Finlay Christie became one of the youngest ever winners of the prestigious So You Think You’re Funny competition, following in the footsteps of Peter Kay, Lee Mack and Sarah Millican. 3 years later, his debut Edinburgh show “OK Zoomer” was nominated for NextUp’s “Best Show” award and was released as a special in October 2023, with over 365,000 views. His material, based around his experience as a Gen Z, led Chortle to describe him as “the voice of his generation”.
His 2024 Fringe show “I Deserve This” received multiple 5 star reviews, won the Entertainment Now “WoW” award and was nominated for the ISH “Best Show” award. The Guardian described it as “Comedy gold” and Edinburgh Festivals Magazine stated there was “Barely a single joke that wasn’t a fresh zinger.”
So what we are saying is, if you want to see a future stand up star in the making you’d better come along before he moves up to the enormo-rooms!
