Introducing: Bristol Comedy Garden 2016

Bristol Comedy Garden returns for its fifth instalment at the end of this month, bringing a packed six-day programme of music, bars, food stalls and – of course – the best of the UK stand-up circuit to a set of marquees in (fingers crossed) sunny Queen Square.
Sara Pascoe, Rob Delaney, Jason Byrne, David O’Doherty, Katherine Ryan, Reginald D. Hunter (pictured above) and Stewart Lee are among the comic draws. Here’s co-organiser Cass Briggs to tell us more.

So, Cass: here comes a fifth Bristol Comedy Garden. What have you learned, and how has the event changed, over those years?
When we first launched the Comedy Garden [brother and co-organiser] Will and I did most of the work ourselves: handing out flyers by day, painting signs by night, and taking care of the myriad other details involved in running a festival. The first year is always a crazy crusade, where all you have is a blind belief that it’ll all be OK.
The Comedy Garden has become a bit of a runaway success – but still, each year throws up new challenges. Thankfully these days a larger team means Will and I can take a step back, and ensure the event keeps improving. We’re also lucky that many of our crew and suppliers come back each summer, so there’s a really fun, family atmosphere on site that we hope gets passed on to our audiences. 

Any changes this year – on the food or music side, for example?
We’re always looking at ways of enhancing the event. Our line-ups are always pretty unbeatable, so our focus is usually on the additional bits. We strive each year to offer our audiences a full-on festival experience in addition to the great comedy happening in the tents. Our bars and food traders are as passionate about their food as we are about the comedy, and the music, walkabouts and games all combine to create a wonderful atmosphere – especially when the sun deigns to shine.

Might the food or music sides ever become as big as the comedy, or is it important that BCG remains primarily a comedy festival?
The essence will always be the comedy. We know great comedy and we’ve learned over the years that it’s best to stick to what you know. Besides, Bristol already has more than enough amazing music and food events and we wouldn’t dream of stepping on their toes!

Is Queen Square the perfect venue for what you’re doing, or might BCG ever outgrow it?
We absolutely love Queen Square and have no plans to move elsewhere. It’s right in the heart of Bristol and is the perfect size for what we want to achieve – big-name shows in an intimate and friendly atmosphere. The Comedy Garden is actually one of just three events invited back to Queen Square this year following a big review of how the space should be used. We are incredibly grateful to everyone involved in this process and continue to work closely with the Council and local community to ensure the event enhances the area and Bristol’s cultural offer.

Who are you particularly excited to be bringing to BCG this year?
I’ll be making a bee-line for the Stewart Lee show, obviously. Katherine Ryan, naturally. Can’t wait to see the sketch shows from Cardinal Burns and Pajama Men. My current hero is John Kearns: I saw him for the first time a few months back and he is a genius. Plus of course Adam Buxton’s BUG David Bowie Special, which will be very special indeed.

Does the planning of a comedy festival differs from that of, say, a music festival?
The appetite for comedy is booming at the moment, but behind the scenes it still feels like a cottage industry compared to the behemoth of the music business. Having worked in the music industry I can say that everything feels a bit calmer, lighter and, ultimately, a bit more fun. Most of the time, too, we’re dealing with just one act rather than the multiple personalities within a band – although some of our acts manage to condense the energy, characteristics and raucousness of a five-piece band into one body!

Bristol Comedy Garden 2016 June 28-July 3, Queen Square. For more info and to book tickets, visit www.bristolcomedygarden.co.uk or search our comprehensive Comedy listings.