We are excited to see that the UK's first Museum of Comedy is officially open!
The museum has been curated by Leicester Square Theatre owner Martin Witts. From a lifetime’s work in the UK’s comedy industry he has amassed one of the most comprehensive collections of Comedy memorabilia ever to be presented in one place.
The collection includes artefacts from decades of comedy in all forms, from television to radio, from stage to the internet.
The Museum is the only place in the world where it is possible to come face to face with some of comedy’s most iconic memorabilia including The Players Theatre Joys Collection, some of which dates back to the shows of the 1930s; the famous suit worn by Tommy Trinder, one of the UK’s most popular stage and screen performers of the 1940s and 1950s; the stuffed bear that appeared in every episode of Steptoe and Son from 1962 to 1965; footage from The Dave Allen Show, one of the most watched comedy shows of the 1970s; the reception telephone famously used in Fawlty Towers, the most dysfunctional hotel of the 1970s and the wig of the 1980’s Liverpudlian diva Lily Savage.
You can even pull up a pew from one of television’s popular ecclesiastical comedies – Father Ted, All Gas and Gaiters, Vicar Of Dibley and Rev – and see objects belonging to Charlie Chaplin, Norman Wisdom, Marie Lloyd, Stewart Lee, to name but a few!
The museum’s amazing collection also provides patrons the opportunity to listen to hundreds of comedy recordings on cassette, LP and CD courtesy of a steepletone player. A collection of board games from some of the best known radio and television comedy series and a phenomenal library containing over six thousand books. Visitors will also be able to enter the Joke Booth based on the iconic confession box from The Dave Allen Show where they can record their best jokes on video to be included in the National Joke Archive.
The Cooper Room, the Museum’s purpose built performance space will feature performances from some of the hottest young comedians including Nick Helm, Funny Women Awards 2006 finalist Susan Calman, Glenn Wool and Tony Law as well as specially commissioned and curated exhibitions which are due to run throughout the year.
As part of the Comedy Academy there will also be opportunities to take part in various comedy workshops over the coming months including courses from Logan Murray and In the Art of Close Up Magic from Jerry Sadowitz.
To find out more about the exciting events at the Museum of Comedy click HERE!
Pictured: Charlie Caroli Clown Shoes. Credit Steve Ullathorne, Marie Lloyd who features in the museum
