London's new Museum of Comedy opens
The doors have today opened at London's newest and most exciting museum: the first ever British Museum of Comedy.
A museum space, exhibition, performance area and educational establishment, the Museum of Comedy is located in the Undercroft of St George's Church, Bloomsbury - just feet from the world-renowned British Museum and it a Grade I l structure, designed in 1711 by leading Baroque architect Nicholas Hawksmoor.
The museum's inaugural exhibition is a collection of the photography of Steve Ullathorne, the man responsible for some of modern comedy's most iconic portraiture, as well as more than 500 posters for theatres and tours across the UK, London, New York, Los Angeles, and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
The museum aims to illustrate the history of British comedy from court jester to the popular stand-up comedians of today, encompassing music hall, variety, television, film, and everything in-between.
Some of the most notable artefacts in the museum's collection include a genuine stuffed bear as used on the set of Steptoe And Son; a telephone seen in Fawlty Towers; church pews from Father Ted, All Gas & Gaiters, and other ecclesiastical titles; and original hand-made props of Tommy Cooper.
The Museum of Comedy also boasts its own intimate performance and cinema space, The Cooper Room. The inaugural show will be an Edinburgh preview performance for Glenn Wool and Carey Marx, with Nick Helm, James Acaster and Tony Law amongst the other names scheduled to appear in the coming weeks. An exciting array of events later this year and further into 2015 are currently in planning.
A Comedy Academy is also located at the venue, and will in future run courses accredited by a major university. It will become a hub where students from all walks of life will be able to study a wide selection of comedy styles from magic to straight stand-up and will also provide courses in comedy writing and backstage craft such as sound and lighting. The Academy launches next Saturday with a card magic workshop run by master magician and comedian Jerry Sadowitz.
Boasting a collection well over 6,000-items strong already, the museum also fits in a library space of books, records, videos and original music hall sheet music - and its own licensed bar, The Comedians' Arms.
The museum is located at St Georges Church, Bloomsbury Way, London, WC1A 2SR. Tickets cost just £5 for an adult, and the museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday until 5pm. Opening times vary.
More information about the museum can be found via its website, museumofcomedy.com
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