Thomas Sydenham (1624-1689) was a physician recognised as a founder of clinical medicine and epidemiology who discovered Sydenham’s Chorea aka St Vitus Dance
What did he suggest caused illnesses? Humoural imbalance.
South East London’s Sydenham area is named after him and humour has been restored there, at least.
(That is an example of why I am not a comedian.)
Betsy, the club’s meeter-and-greeter…
The Poodle Club has re-opened for comedy in Sydenham. The club first opened in 2017 but, of course, due to the Coronavirus pandemic, had to close in 2020.
It’s run by indefatigable dog-lover Karen O Novak and her husband Darren Ball.
Unusually for UK comedy clubs, it’s not just some room in a pub; they own the lease and it was purpose-built as a comedy venue.
“Why call it The Poodle Club?” I asked Karen.
“Betsy, of course,” she told me.
Betsy is a tiny poodle: a very enthusiastic and much-loved meeter-and-greeter of audiences at the club.
My last blog was a chat with stand-up performer David Mills backstage at the sold-out grand post-pandemic re-opening of The Poodle Club.
In it, I used the word “unique” about the club. Because it is.
Karen O Novak and David Mills back in 2014
You can choose to share a toilet with Liberace…
The revitalised post-pandemic Poodle Club has a new state-of-the-art ventilation system which delivers 500 litres of fresh air per second.
It also aims to have an equal number of male and female comedians and to promote LGBTQ+ and non-white comics in order, says Karen, “to raise up voices that are sometimes lost in the traditionally straight, male-dominated comedy scene”.
The policy, she claims, has drawn an audience that is 70% female.
The club’s decor – like Betsy the Poodle – shows signs of quirky character.
…or visit Bloo Hawaii in the other poodle loo
There are two unisex toilets in the club: one lavishly decorated as a tribute to Liberace and one equally lavishly dedicated to Elvis Presley’s Blue Hawaii.
Despite being clearly marked as unisex, Darren tells me that, overwhelmingly – and for no known reason – men tend to go into the Liberace WC and women into the Elvis WC.
The audiences on the sold-out opening weekend came into the club beaming with joy – partly because of the warm welcome from Betsy, partly because of the club-wide OTT decor which greeted them and partly, I imagine, just because they were able to go to local comedy again.
There’s a plethora of poodle ornaments and ‘kooky’ knick-knacks crowding behind the bar…
“How,” I asked Karen, “did the good people of Sydenham react during the club’s pandemic closure?”
“There were,” she told me, “non-stop emails, weeping, people throwing themselves under buses.”
“Normal for Sydenham, then,” I said. “Has Betsy greeted audiences since the start in 2017?”
Poodle pooches are all over the place in this lovingly-decorated oasis of the comedy arts…
“Before Betsy,” said Karen, “there was Snoopadoo. She used to hold court here at the bar, but she was an elderly lady poodle and passed away at 19 years old.”
“Were Betsy and Snoopadoo related?”
“Sadly no.”
The poodle obsession runs deep, though. In the backstage dressing room, even the signs on the wall board are held up with little pink poodle pins.
The club has performances every Friday and Saturday – during most other days it lies fallow.
But, ever-enterprising, Karen and Darren are running the First Annual ‘Sydenham Comedy Festival’ at the Poodle Club for a whole week this year – 10th-18th June.
The Festival will feature 20 one-hour shows – a series of Edinburgh Fringe previews by the likes of Arthur Smith, Paul Foot, Tony Law and Shazia Mirza..
The Poodle Club in Sydenham is far from Barking…
Like I said, I’m no comedian, but I know what I like.
I like originality. And The Poodle Club certainly has that.
The never-less-than-extravagantly costumed Ada Campe performing on stage at The Poodle Club
SO IT GOES - John Fleming's blog 