XS Malarkey Comedy Club
Created | Updated Aug 11, 2002
XS Malarkey
The greatest and best value stand up comedy club in the country.
Founded in 1997, Murphy's Malarkey is the best value comedy club in Manchester....the North...perhaps even the country! XS Malarkey is every Tuesday night in Bar XS, Wilmslow Road, Fallowfield, Manchester
(next to Sainsburys)
The comedy kicks off at 8.30pm and finishes at 11pm. It's a very popular venue so it's wise to turn up before 8 to get a seat.
The Compere
Toby Hadoke is the resident compere. Toby is an actor, writer and comedian, who has a stupid name that no-one can pronounce or spell. He was born in a small cottage in Ludlow, Shropshire so in-breeding jokes a plenty.
He has appeared as a comedian throughout the UK and has been the regular compere at XS Malarkey , since it's inception in 1997.
As an actor, Toby has appeared in everything from Shakespeare to comic farce in the shape of "ROAST" a popular season of comedy plays by Adam Riches.
Toby's own adaption of the comic satire "Accidental Death of an Anarchist" was a hit during Edinburgh 1996, winning plaudits from The Mail on Sunday, The Scotsman and Radio 4's Loose Ends.
The Daily Express wrote "This slick show has been a stalwart of Theatre Companies in Edinburgh over the years, but this is one of the best I can recall. The Maniac (is) superbly played by Toby Hadoke.
Hadoke also adapted the script and updated it with timely references to the West Midlands Serious crime squad and other topical material. It is a testimony to the players and adaptation that this play is still as fresh and relevant today as it was when it was first performed."
Click here for a picture of Toby with Peter Kay
The Acts
There have been loads of class acts on at the Malarkey over the Last three or four years including: -
Noel James
If Noel James is opening the show, you know you're in for a good night. This Welsh surrealist Wizard is an off the wall comedy genius, who is so popular with comedy clubs that he never stops gigging. Proof that live comedy is the best comedy, Noel's rambling stream of consciousness is side-splittingly funny. This man is pure quality and we're lucky to have him. A must see.
"One of the most original, most Welsh and one of my most favourite acts on the circuit" - City Life
Susan Vale
Susan's act involves sifting through and sharing the mounting debris that has drifted in and settled in her head. She didn't find any use for this in her previous job as a shepherd, so to prevent brain seepage via her nasal cavities, she decided to become a comedian in order to give her thoughts an airing. She's gigged extensively in the north of England and in Scotland and was a finalist in the Hackney Empire New Act Of The Year 1998 competition. She has also written extensively for TV and Radio, providing some of the headlines for the 11 O'Clock show.
"Susan has been on the edge of the Manchester scene for a while now and has steadily been building her act and her following. Her softly-spoken voice disguises the venom that comes from within." - Joe Elliot, Manchester Metro
"Very Entertaining" - Loaded
Click here for a picture of Susan Vale
Smug Roberts
Smug is superb - he used to run the famous Embassy Club in Greater Manchester but left to pursue his own career. He's appeared on national TV and radio and can reduce an audience to tears without as much as a word. Having played every major club in the area (including the Comedy Store), he's armed with a huge amount of hilarious material.
Click here for a picture of Smug Roberts
Tony Morewood
Tony has worked with some slightly good comics - names such as Robin Williams and Mike Myers may ring a bell - due to his extended sabbatical in the USA where he won rave reviews for his one man show How To Be An American. He's recently returned home and is gigging non-stop, except for a little time off to sleep, and has worked at many of the top UK venues. Including here, of course.
"Consistently eye-catching" - The Times
"his comic timing is impeccably side-splitting" - San Fransisco Bay Guardian
HREF="http://members.tripod.co.uk/Murphys_Malarkey/tony.jpg">Click here for a picture of Tony
Click here for a picture of Tony
Suzanne Frazer
Suzanne is a leading compere at the Gilded Balloon in her native Scotland, as well as a well travelled act who who has performed all over Britain. Her repertoire includes a number of off-the-wall satirical characters, from Girl Guide leader to mystic mayhem. She has done warm up work for STV and has appeared on TV in Naked Elvis, Skoosh and Scottish Women. On radio she has been heard on The Fred MacAulay Show and was a presenter on Mayfield Radio for two years.
"As sharp as she was smart. We couldn't believe how good she was" - EK News
"Audience Participation Mandatory. Lend her more than your ears" - The List
Click here for a picture of Suzanne
Jason Cook
Jason is one of the newer performers on the scene but he's quickly gathering a following in and around the area. He made his debut as an open mic spot in Murphy's and has quickly progressed to working paid spots at many of the area's clubs. Offbeat and irreverent, his comic creations, scally Mark Smart and the ever popular priest Father Juan Kossov have entertained the Malarkey crowd many times.
Click here for a picture of Jason
Geoff Taylor
You may recognise this name from the pages of H2G2. Formerly known as Ploppy, Geoff is not only a valuable researcher for H2G2 but also an up and coming comic with material ranging from Shaggy's mastery of the english language to paedophilia to the current political climate!
Click here for a picture on Geoff
Peter Kay
You might just have heard of this Bolton comic. He won the City Life North-West comedian of the year award in 1996, and he's been rather busy ever since. The's appeared on The Sunday Show, The Big Breakfast, Saturday Night Fever, The Royal Variety Performance and has guested on dozens of other shows.
His brilliance was rewarded recently with his own series on Channel 4. His Edinburgh show was nominated for a Perrier Comedy award. It's indicative of Peter's persona that he will still play humble gigs like XS Malarkey. His act is always full and he specialises in live comedy.
Click here for a picture of Peter Kay with Toby
Formerly Known as Murphys Malarkey
We have recently moved from Scruffy Murphys pub to the bigger venue of Bar XS, with the added bonus of a later bar!
Entry Fee
At the time of writing (16-10-01) it is £2 for members and £4 pound for non-members. Membership is available for £6 and lasts for life. Bargain.Click here for the XS Malarkey Website
