Live comedy nights at Sambrook’s have become a community staple, and it’s all thanks to Always Be Comedy who deliver a stellar line up, week on week.
We caught up with James Gill, the funny man behind Always Be Comedy to find out more.
Tell us who you are and what you do.
Jesus wept! You sound like my wife if I give myself a day off.
My name is James Gill and I both compere and own the multi-award-winning (I’ve gone full PR, and I love it) Always Be Comedy! We put on live comedy shows and we’ve recently launched a podcast.
I also write for TV shows and perform warm-up on them. Since James Brown, the Godfather of Soul, passed away, I would like to nominate myself as The Hardest Working Person in This Business We Call Show.
How did Always Be Comedy come about?
It’s a great question and – truth be told – we’re not entirely sure.
It was launched nearly 12 years ago with a couple of old mates. The three of us used to live with each during our single twenties. Some people look back on their single days with real fondness; I prefer to shudder before begging my wife to never leave me. The two other lads have since quit comedy to settle down, get married, and focus on their relationships and general happiness. The total losers!
I was an open mic act at the time and there was a paucity of decent comedy nights for new acts, and so we came up with Always Be Comedy. The name comes from the 1992 classic Glengarry Glen Ross, we used to watch it on a loop. The movie includes the famous “Always Be Closing” monologue, and that’s where our name comes from.
Down the years we’ve had the likes of Kevin Bridges, John Bishop, Katherine Ryan, Sara Pascoe, Romesh Ranganathan, Aisling Bea, Kumail Nanjiani, and many, many more.
Tell us about your comedy nights at Sambrook’s.
We did a pilot show at Sambrook’s in July 2022, with two-time Emmy winner Brett Goldstein, BAFTA winner Aisling Bea, red-hot rising star Sikisa, and the iconic Milton Jones. We really set our stall out early doors.
We’ve been putting on weekly comedy nights at Sambrook’s since September, and, in typical Always Be Comedy style, have boasted the likes of Nish Kumar, Sarah Kendall, Mike Wozniak, Rachel Parris, Joel Dommett, Kerry Godliman, Ed Gamble, Phil Wang, Sarah Keyworth, and many, many more.
Who do you have coming up?
This just in! Milton Jones will return on Friday 5 May, alongside Amy Gledhill and Michael Odewale. We’ve got Jon Richardson performing a live version of his podcast with the Futurenauts on 12 May. And we have the likes of Nick Helm, Sindhu Vee, Abandoman, Lloyd Griffith, Nish Kumar, and many more coming up. Abandoman and Catherine Bohart are at Sambrook’s this coming Friday, 7 April.
Book your tickets online.
To quote Nick Helm, “You lucky people.”
Which comedians are you excited about at the moment?
I get stick from other comedians over how much I talk about Josh Pugh. But I really, truly love him and think he will go all the way. He has that winning combination of phenomenal writing, original angles, great delivery and innate likeability. Oh, and he’s a total natural to boot. That lad is the real deal.
We just saw a brand-new act called Sharon Wanjohi. If it was possible to buy shares in a comedian, I’d bet the kids’ college fund on Sharon. My wife has just told me we don’t have a college fund for the kids, so it’s actually a very empty gesture. And we’re also British, so I should have actually said “university”. Sharon, if you’re reading this, I really feel like I’ve let you down.
What would be your dream comedy line up?
This question is the very premise of the new Always Be Comedy podcast, so I’m very grateful for the opportunity to plug that. Thank you. Our first four episodes have featured Josh Widdicombe, Maisie Adam, Stewart Lee, and Romesh Ranganathan. A guest comes on and curates their dream gig. Bit of fun, isn’t it?
I’m going to pick exclusively dead comedians so I don’t upset 99% of the circuit.
MC: Bob Hope. As a kid, I loved the Road to... movies, and he remains one of the most naturally funny people I’ve ever seen. One of those acts who can rip a room with so much as a withering glance. My God, this is such an excellent choice. Sorry, it’s just really kicked in who I’ve picked to MC. Go me!
Opener: Bill Hicks. What a gamble this is. He either rips it and we all have a night we’ll treasure forever, or he loses the audience within the first minute, and the night is ruined. It’s nice to start the night with a sense of jeopardy and soul-deadening dread.
Middle: Victoria Wood. I’d ask politely that she performs The Ballad of Freda and Barry. If you grew up in the 1980s that routine is seminal stuff. Victoria would win them back if Hicks had got off to a sticky one. Again, a total natural, and she possessed that completely unteachable quality where you simply wanted to be her best mate.
Closer: Norm Macdonald. Such a hero to me and a true original thinker. No celebrity death bummed me out as much as this one. I don’t think there’s a YouTube clip of Norm’s I haven’t seen. If you’ve never seen his special Me Doing Stand-Up, it’s one of the greats. And his YouTube show is also a must-watch. Man, I love Norm Macdonald.
Have you got a joke for us?
My seven-year-old makes up jokes and has told them to Al Murray and Harry Hill, and she came up with a good one the other day. Crucial piece of info for this gag: I have a Yoda toy. I’m 45 soon.
She said, “Guess which type of car I got you?”
*Comedic pause*
“It’s a Toy Yoda” (Toyota)
Absolutely sensational gag. I can stop worrying about that college fund, she’s the next Josh Pugh/Sharon Wanjohi!
What’s your favourite thing about Wandsworth Town?
The staff at Sambrook’s Brewery are so nice that I could roll a tear. There’s a young lad called Louis who looks after Tim (my other half at ABC) and me so well that we think he might be an actual angel. Louis, should you read this, huge thanks for always being so nice.
Quite a soppy end to an otherwise solid chat. I can only apologise.
