It is with a heavy heart that I announce the final curtain of Charlie's Comedy Cabaret. I had hoped to give one last hurrah on the 20th October and even had acts booked but I've made the hard decision to withdraw. This is very much a personal decision. I've had great support from Hoopla and will always be grateful to Steve Roe for giving me free rein to run a night and inviting me to do so.
Basically, like everything in live comedy and theatre right now, it comes down to money and time. I like to pay my acts something regardless of ticket sales. It wasn't much but it was coming out of my own pocket and I always prioritised having a big, warm, friendly audience over profit. Audiences are having a hard time right now too. I'm not a promotor. I'm a performer, writer and potentially a good director and producer, but I do not have the energy or expertise to market shows. I do not regret a single decision and perhaps in the future I'll repeat the endeavour. However, for now, as we go into what will be a tricky winter, I've decided for my own finances and mental health to prioritise other projects.
It was a huge privilege to work these extremely generous and talented acts. I am very proud of the line-ups I put together and the warm atmosphere that was created each night. Thank you so much to everyone who supported the night. I hope both audiences and performers found these shows as memorable as I did.
And on that note, here rolls the final credits:
Verona Rose, Maddie Campion, Sharlin Jahan, Slice of Rhyme Improv, Eleanor Morton, Philip Simon and Cecily Schmidt.
Thick n Fast, Isabelle Farah, Jain Edwards, Mustafa Yasin, Just Us League, Mandeep Singh, Jiminy H Criquet, and Michael Brunstrom.
Maria Shehata, Ali Brice, Emma Rettie, Harry Monaghan, Helen Duff, Samia Hussein, Alfie Packham and Do The Right Scene.
Ria Lina, Minority Report, Matthew Highton, Elisa Cass, Blake AJ, Sally Hodgkiss, Harriet Braine, Qin Wang and Andy Barr.
Jen Ives, Bronwyn Sweeney, Matty Hudson, Ada Player, Stefan Harvey, Aruhan Galieva and Jack Left Town.
Siblings, Track 96, Ginnia Cheng, Faye Treacy, Fitzgerald Honger, James Bran and Luke Rollason.
And I've been your host, Charlie Vero-Martin!