COMEDY NIGHT: Why you need to see… Mick Ferry

Who: Mick Ferry Where: Frog and Bucket Comedy Club Why: Mick Ferry looks like an expert craftsman of some kind. A bit like Parks and Recreation's Ron Swanson - if Ron Swanson shopped at Oi Polloi. You could imagine the Oldham comic whittling an ornate swan out of a slab of wood. With a penknife. With his dense white foliage and broad frame, Ferry could easily cut an intimidating figure on stage, especially when berating members of the audience for vaping, or not being able to sit backwards on a train, but that's never remotely the case. He is self-effacing, inclusive, and naturally charismatic. The kind of bloke who'd retreat to the kitchen at a party for some peace, only to find the party following him in there. Plus it's hard to be intimidated by someone with such a high-pitched girly laugh. His reputation precedes him as a widely acknowledged master of the circuit, but Ferry doesn't really fit the Northern club comic stereotype. It is true that his gags are unpretentious, but his humour is layered and inventive, and often tinged with melancholy. He has a wonderful way of taking a relatable subject, and crafting all sorts of surreal and compelling imagery from it. Even something you really don't want to think about - like a middle-aged man gliding from tree-to-tree, using his ample scrotum skin as a sail. It is evident how adept he is at acting out scenarios on stage, as he plays each anecdotal role with the timing and characterisation of a gifted comic actor. It is also great to see him reference Parkinson's and Dementia as conditions we can make light of without belittling. Ferry is clearly a stellar comedian at the height of his powers. He comes across as someone who has honed his natural ability to make people laugh over time with skill, experience, and hard work. Maybe he is an expert craftsman after all.

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We saw Mick Ferry at the Frog and Bucket Comedy Club in Manchester. You can find out more about his future dates here. Perhaps also check out Shake With Laugher - a comedy night in aid of Parkinson's UK - here.