Comedians

Music may have always been the main attraction at the Civic but since the 1980s another form of entertainment has proved a huge draw for audiences.

From the late eighties, which saw apperarances from Rik Mayall, Ben Elton and local funnyman Jasper Carrot, to recent years welcoming Sarah Millican, Jimmy Carr and Bill Bailey, the Civic and Wulfrun halls have been full of laughter.

The scene really started to hit its stride in the nineties, when comedy was declared the new rock 'n' roll.

And while a new breed of comedians arrived at the Civic during this decade, it also welcomed representatives of the old school, starting in November 1990 with a show from Charlie Chaplin's “favourite clown,” Norman Wisdom.

He returned again in October 92, one of many comedians who became repeat visitors to the venue.

Other returning comedians who visited during the nineties included distinctly non-PC acts Bernard Manning and Roy 'Chubby' Brown.

In March 1991 Victoria Wood played three consecutive sell-out nights at the Civic, going down so well that she came back in May 1996. However, rumour has it that she vowed not to return after the shower in her dressing room collapsed on her.

Love the carpet!

But, whatever the truth, following a significant spruce up of the Civic the much-loved comedian was performing again in Wolverhampton in June 2001 and left an approving “Love the carpet!” comment in the visitor book.

Other big names appearing during the nineties included Jack Dee, Jo Brand, Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer, Rory Bremner, Eddie Izzard, Rik Mayall and Ade Edmondson and Harry Hill.

Ken Dodd performed a number of his famously long shows during the nineties and naughties.

Irish stand-up Sean Hughes appeared a couple of times during the 90s. On both occasions he records in the visitor book that he was disappointed that he couldn't steal the television from his dressing room.

Local lads Lenny Henry and Frank Skinner both appeared during the 90s – Frank was to return a number of times over the following years and generally likes to remind the Wolves-based visitor books of his love for the Baggies.

The 2000s saw a visit from Ross Noble, who had obviously been researching Wolverhampton's entertainment history.

Back in the 1920s, there wasn't a suitable venue for concerts and musicians at the time describing playing in one of the town's halls as “like performing in a railway station.”

Ross used the visitor books to describe his own experience as playing at the Civic as: “The finest station platform I've ever performed on.”

The compliments for the Civic, its staff and audience keep coming from the comedians who have played here.

In January 2003 Dave Gorman wrote: “Charming and helpful staff. An intelligent and full house in the biggest hall of my life and my mum was there to see it! A fantastic night – thank you.”

Steve Coogan appreciated the “lovely audience, very warm genuine people,” American comedian Rich Hall gave three cheers for Wulfrunia and Tim Vine liked the biscuits.

By the 2010s, Wolverhampton had already welcomed comedians who had played much larger stadiums and it continued to attract the top names in funny.

Kevin Bridges, John Bishop, Dara O'Briain, Rhod Gilbert, Sarah Millican, Stephen Merchant, Julian Clary, Jon Richardson, Frankie Boyle, Jimmy Carr, Noel Fielding and Bill Bailey have all brought the chuckles in recent years.

Comments in the visitor book all praise the venue, staff and audience. But perhaps none have appreciated the local crowd quite as much as Josh Widdicome who wrote in March 2012: “Thank you so much! I have never played to a weirder or more lovely bunch.”