Angel’s Bill Murray Comedy Club has been named best comedy venue in London in the Chortle Awards

BILL Murray’s “impish” spirit made the actor a suitable namesake for an Islington comedy club when it opened in 2016 – except for the fact that the founders never got permission to use the name.

Technically, then, Angel’s Bill Murray Comedy Club is a nod to lesser known Sir William Murray, the 17th-century schoolmate and “whipping boy” of the future King Charles I.

At a time when corporal punishment was the norm, it was still forbidden to harm a prince, so Mr Murray took the literal hit whenever young Prince Charles misbehaved.

Club founder Barry Ferns

“It’s so terrible, but also there’s something about the life of a comedian,” said founder Barry Ferns of this double entendre. “You’re always going through tragedy for other people’s amusement or benefit.”

A comedian himself, Mr Ferns co-founded Angel Comedy Club in 2010, and in 2016 crowd-funded £40,000 to move into the Mucky Pup pub, later renamed the Bill Murray.

Nish Kumar

Today, Angel Comedy Club puts on 50 shows a week – from comedy royalty like Eddie Izzard, James Acaster and Nish Kumar to up-and-coming talent – at the Bill Murray as well as free gigs every night at the Camden Head on Camden Passage, where the club began. The Bill Murray has now been crowned best comedy venue in London by the audience-voted Chortle Awards.

“It’s lovely if a panel of industry judges like what you do, but to be voted by people who actually come – it means a huge amount,” said Mr Ferns. “Comedy only exists because audiences come and see it – you’re a mad person making yourself laugh in your own room otherwise.

Russell Howard

“The fact that [famous comedians] come to the club to build their shows is a huge thing for us. They don’t need to come to a 92-seat venue but they want to support the place. They recognise that they were once a new comedian and there aren’t that many places where a new comedian can go and perform.”

Part of what makes Angel Comedy Club special is that it’s run by comedians, for comedians, Mr Ferns explained.

“We believe if we’re making a profit we’re doing it wrong,” he added, preferring to pay staff and comedians properly and keeping comedy accessible, over making an extra buck.

Dara O Briain

“Say you’re watching Netflix at home, you might be moved by something but you don’t know if it’s just moving you. But if you’re laughing at something with other people it makes you feel less alone, you know that you’re sharing a life experience with them.

“One of the real shames of the current cost of living crisis is that people can’t afford to go out and be with other people as much. Being with other people is the thing that reminds us who we are, and makes us happier and able to get through hard times.”

Mr Ferns also performs at the Bill Murray himself and is currently developing a show about the time he went bankrupt and became homeless.

“I had actually changed my name to Lionel Richie for a publicity stunt – so I went bankrupt at the Royal Courts of Justice as Lionel Richie.”

Though he is still involved in running the club, a larger management team has allowed Mr Ferns to spend more time on his own material.

“I’m really a comedian – the clowns shouldn’t run the circus,” he said.