The Comedy Store (London)

Since 16 January 1925, David Tennant's Gargoyle private members' club had leased the three top floors of 69 Dean Street, Soho, London (at the corner with Meard Street). In 1952, Tennant sold the Gargoyle as a going concern for £5,000 to caterer John Negus. In 1955, the club was sold to Michael Klinger and Jimmy Jacobs, who relaunched it as a strip club called the Nell Gwynne (variously advertised as a theatre, club, or revue). A 1960s ad shows the club as the Nell Gwynne by day and the Gargoyle Club at night. ==The Comedy Store==

In 1978, Peter Rosengard was on holiday with his wife Irkku in Los Angeles. "We had nothing to do one night, so I asked the concierge and he recommended the Comedy Store. At the time there was no live comedy in the UK, apart from working men's clubs up north, which was not really my scene. I loved what I saw in LA, so decided to open one in London, despite everybody telling me I was nuts." In 1979, the Gargoyle's upper rooms took in a varied series of weekly themed club-nights, in addition to the long-running Nell Gwynne Revue strip show. Don Ward said Rosengard could use his premises on Saturday nights. But it was also a strip club with topless barmaids, which Peter had to explain when comedians came to audition. started a weekly club-night on Saturdays called the Comedy Store, in partnership with comedian Don Ward. It was open mic, in a Gong Show format, and invited audiences to show approval or disapproval of the unknown acts performing by "gonging" them off. "On 19 May 1979, only sixteen days after Margaret Thatcher’s first general election victory, a new comedy club opened in London, hosted in a Soho topless bar named the Gargoyle, accessed through the Nell Gwynne strip club in Dean Street. The Comedy Store was the brainchild of insurance salesman Peter Rosengard, Comedy Store while on holiday." ==Careers==

The London Comedy Store made the reputations of many of the UK's upcoming "alternative comedians" while the specifically political Alternative Cabaret was taking root. Among the original line-up who made their reputations here were Alexei Sayle, Rik Mayall, Adrian Edmondson, French & Saunders, Nigel Planer and Peter Richardson who in 1980 led these pioneers to establish the breakaway Comic Strip team elsewhere in Soho. All were to prove influential in reshaping British television comedy throughout the 1980s as stars of The Comic Strip Presents. The Comedy Store, at the Gargoyle and elsewhere, helped start the careers of Paul Merton, Ben Elton, Keith Allen, Pat Condell and John Sparkes. Comedian Paul Merton is one of the longest performing mainstream comics to still be associated with the venue from his debut performance in 1984. In an interview Brand explained why she chose The Comedy Store for her portrait, and her experiences performing there early in her career. ==Groups==

In October 1985, an improvisational group called The Comedy Store Players was formed, consisting of Mike Myers, Neil Mullarkey, Kit Hollerbach, Dave Cohen and Paul Merton. The group has had several line-up changes over the years, and now features a rotating team of Neil Mullarkey, Josie Lawrence, Richard Vranch and Lee Simpson, together with frequent guest appearances. Jim Sweeney was a member until retiring from performance in 2008 due to multiple sclerosis. Andy Smart was a member until his death in May 2023. Several of The Comedy Store Players appeared on the BBC Radio 4 and Channel 4 comedy game show Whose Line Is It Anyway?. In 1990 The Cutting Edge satirical comedy team was formed by comedy journalist John Connor (formerly comedy editor at radical London listings magazine City Limits). The original team was Mark Thomas, Kevin Day, Bob Boyton, Nick Revill and Richard Morton. The show's aim was to recapture the political edge that was fostered at the original Comedy Store. ==Venues==

Don Ward dissolved his business relationship with Rosengard in late 1981. for two years, taking over the club in 1985. ==References==