Searing political rants, baited breath and a spit full of laughs was the best way for Bea Udeh to celebrate a Monday night of out-out comedy in Nottingham's South-side with Disabled Cants at The Vat & Fiddle...
I have just parked up at the rail station because I couldn't find anywhere closer to park; it's a six minute walk from the venue, yet I feel like I'm at the right lion at Old Market Square. I'm running (well, walking brusquely to avoid any menopausal sweating in the spring heatwave) to meet a friend who drops me a text saying that she's just left her house and is on her way in a cab.
I enter the Vat and Fiddle pub, thinking that I'm a few minutes late, and head confidently past the bar into the concert space. I'm not late. I'm around half an hour early as Benny Shakes, the Founder of Disabled Cants, walks up and informs me. I nod my sweating forehead and make my way back to the bar to get myself a ginger beer to acknowledge another successful year round the sun.
Having not been to a live comedy show in yonks, I had forgotten about the warming up a live crowd bit. Benny has all the elements of a marvellous compere: tall, loud, observant, and a great audience warmer. I am so glad that he didn't bait me out for arriving as I did in a fluster; however, he did proceed to explain the format for the evening in terms of there being five comedians, some with new material they were testing out and two show intervals. Benny also talked about the comedy acts and how the audience should remember to be kind. That struck me. Those words were deeply intentional. Apart from the sentiment of giving a warm welcome, I had never heard that sentiment before from a comedy M.C.
Then we had an immediate blast-off with a brief joke about PIP (or Personal Independence Payment), a UK benefit given to people living with a disability, and a hot news topic. That's how comedian Emily Webster rolled out punchlines in her opening set.
Benny also talked about the comedy acts and how the audience should remember to be kind. That struck me. Those words were deeply intentional.
This was a ritual that played out as most of the comedians revealed their disability near the start of their sets. It came across as a clunky "Ta-da" reveal in a magic trick, which didn't seem comfortable when you want each person to show up unapologetically - but that was my cognitive dissonance working overtime which comes with my Head of Diversity role in my day job.
It was refreshing to learn from and consume how each comedian used language and terminology to craft their jokes, most of which were edgy and sassy. The jokes and comedic commentary were flying with humorous stories being flung by comedians Sarah Weir, Will Ferr and Brett Kinsley - the latter who delivered around forty edgy one-liner jokes taking a tiny breath in-between. The last comedian, Katie Mitchell, shone a light on the intersectional fun found in navigating living with their recent disability, sexuality and relationships.
After the show, I chatted with the multi-talented Benny, who picked up on the challenge of wanting to reach more audiences living with a disability, but aware that they were probably unable to leave home unsupported as they couldn't access personal assistants for various reasons.
Whilst leaving the Vat and Fiddle, my friend commented about not knowing about that space functioned a venue. We both looked around noticing how the area had changed due to years of classic textbook regeneration. We wondered if the neighbours in their homes were able to literally cross the tram tracks to decompress their day by visiting the venue to experience people who have got funny bones in common and comedic insights to tell from their original intersectional perspectives.
I'm reminded of Kendrick Lamar's new album, GNX, and the line from his song Man at the Garden. I definitely feel that in a city, indeed a world giving out lots of lemons to people, the Disabled Cants deserve it all with their delicious lemonade of a revolving line up of comedians.
Disabled Cants performed at the Vat & Fiddle on Monday 28th April 2025.
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