Comedy and Cocktails at The Jam Tree

I'm usually a bit wary of amateur stand up having witnessed many a comedian enthusiastically perform to a silent audience and subsequently resort to just shouting incoherently about orgasms/vaginas/pooing to squeeze a giggle from a crowd of corpses.

The secret entrance to the Bookcase Bar

However, the open mic night at The Jam Tree in Clapham Old Town was a) just round the corner, and b) FREE, so my flat and I thought we'd give it a try. The Jam Tree itself is a spacious cocktail bar serving traditional pub grub along with dishes from former British colonies (bit of a strange theme...), such as Jerk Chicken Salad and Sotong Manis. The comedy is held in the Bookcase Bar, accessed through- you guessed it- a bookcase. This extra touch gives the event an exclusive feel and the smaller room adds to the intimacy of the gig. 

We were all really impressed with the huge drinks list, particularly the signature cocktails which were all made up with real jam. 

The delicious Confiture

They're pretty expensive with even the cheapest starting off at £8.50, but fear not, if someone in your group has an iPhone they can download The Jam Tree app and receive 2 for 1 cocktails in exchange for tweeting about their purchase. My friend and I tried out the Confiture, a blend of Cariel Vanilla vodka, Chambord and pineapple juice, all shaken with raspberry jam. It was one of the tastiest cocktails I have ever had- the jam really stood out and gave it a delicious sweetness. At £4.25 it was great value for money, so make sure you bring an Apple fan along with you! 

The evening kicked off with the event organiser getting members of the audience to play the 'Yes/No Game'- a game where you have to answer questions without using the words 'yes' or 'no' for 30 seconds. It really is harder than it sounds and alas I missed out on a free drink by a mere 1.5 seconds. Still better than my flatmate (27 seconds) and definitely better than the guy who was first asked whether he'd played the game before, to which he straight-faced answered no. The compere then came on and did the standard awkward interrogation of audience members. He explained the rules (15 comedians, strictly 5 minutes each, cheerathon to decide who goes through to the next round) and then let them get on with it.   

One contestant shows the darker side to Superman...

So the venue and drinks ticked the right boxes, but what about the comedy itself? I can honestly say the quality was high and my flatmates and I were pleasantly surprised at spending more time laughing than cringing behind our menus. The 5 minute formula really worked. It meant that the three acts that bombed could make an early exit without it feeling awkward and those that didn't suit my own personal taste were soon off the stage anyway.

My personal favourite and runner-up

With 15 comedians performing, there was something to suit everyone, evidenced by us all debating and disagreeing on who the most and least funny acts were all the way home. One liked the 'awkward' act who read all his awful jokes out of his 'joke bag' to stunned silence and then delayed laughter, another preferred the shock comedian whose main focus was his dad abusing him, whereas my favourite was the Noel Fielding-esque guy who detailed the hope behind wishing the snail you just stepped on was actually a minstrel. At the end of the show the crowd voted for the two acts they wanted to progress through to the final round, with my own favourite comedian and a very funny Irish woman winning the coveted places. 

If you want a fun, cheap Sunday night in South London then I'd definitely give The Jam Tree a try. Delicious cocktails, a relaxed end-of-the-weekend setting and (hopefully) some belly laughs too. The next rounds are on 10th and 24th March, with the final held on 1st April. More info here: http://www.thejamtree.com/clapham/comedy

Splashing out? Enjoy a roast at The Windmill on the Common (£13.95) along the South Side of Clapham Common. You can't go wrong with the homely sofas and open fires at this famous pub. Check out the menu here: http://www.windmillclapham.co.uk/menu