Comedy / belly laughs
Belly Laughs 2020 begins in Brislington
Mark Olver did not have far to come for the first Belly Laughs gig of 2020 on Sunday night in Brislington.
The Curry House on Bath Road is just a few hundred yards from his front door. He had bought some lamps from home to help transform his local Indian restaurant into a comedy venue as well as his housemate, fellow comic Mat Ewins, to join the lineup on the night.

Clockwise from top-left: Sally-Anne Hayward, Kate Williams, Richard James, Gavin Osborn, Morgan Rees and Mat Ewins, performed short sets at The Curry House, with Mark Olver compering – photos by Martin Booth
By the end of this month, almost 40 Belly Laughs shows will have been performed in restaurants, cafes and bars across Bristol – with tickets still available to enjoy a night of laughter, food and drink while helping raise money for the Julian Trust.
is needed now More than ever
Olver initially had the idea for Belly Laughs to help hospitality businesses pull punters through the doors in a traditionally quiet month, but The Curry House donated all of their food takings from Sunday to the city centre night shelter.

The Curry House on Bath Road laid on a buffet for the first Belly Laughs gig of 2020 – photo by Martin Booth
From The Cauldron in St Werburgh’s to Bean Tree Cafe in Staple Hill, there are still plenty of tickets left for this month’s shows, with a particular highlight set to be the evening of January 15 when a dozen businesses in Wapping Wharf all simultaneously host gigs.
To find out details about new shows that are still being announced, follow @bellylaughs2 on Twitter and Belly Laughs media partners Bristol24/7 across social media.
Main photo of Mark Olver by Martin Booth