Luke Newman is a comedian and metalhead who has faced his own mental health challenges. Here he tells us about why he started up inclusive his horror/metal comedy show (with links below for tickets). Follow Luke on @lukeynewmscomedy on Facebook and @lukeynewms on Insta:
“It is fair to say that before my own mental health challenges, I was unaware of the true scale of disruption that depression and anxiety could cause.
My own problems started back in 2018 when I made a conscious decision to work for Kensington and Chelsea Council – the Council which was responsible for the Grenfell Tower tragedy.
It is something I do not like talking or writing about because the stories are not mine. They belong to others. But my role involved spending a lot of time with survivors and the bereaved, trying to find them new homes so that they could move on with their lives.
I suspect nothing that I ever do will have such a profound impact on a cohort of people who deserve it more; it was the pleasure of my life.
It was also the most difficult. The process was non-stop until we gradually got to the last few families to rehouse.
The change of pace, loss of purpose and burnout paralysed me with depression.
It took about 10x more effort to do anything at all.
I tried changing jobs – last year I had 3 within the space of 12 months. I tried sports, but injury keeps me away from that. I tried drinking more – nb: that doesn’t work. I have done more gigs and concerts than ever and they do provide a temporary release that I love.
But it was only when I went to watch my oldest friend’s flatmate do comedy and he suggested I tried it, that I found my true release.
People perceive it as brutal because you stand and talk in front of strangers, if it goes wrong you definitely know it, and just with jobs, you can apply for a lot without ever hearing back.
The joy of having people laugh and enjoy something you’ve written and performed has outweighed these massively.
It is because of my experiences with mental health challenges that I dreamt up the idea of doing a fully inclusive, alternative horror/heavy metal comedy night.
What better way to get that temporary release than to laugh at strange people doing strange things on stage? Well, for many the anxiety of being picked on is real for so many within our community.
So I have created a new comedy night, a Wolfman walks into a Bar Comedy night at Werewolf Beer in Camden, to hopefully help people find that release.
The rules I have relayed to my acts include a clear finger-wagging signal from a member of the audience if they do not want to participate, asking those more comfortable to sit at the front as these events often fill from the back, a zero-tolerance approach to punching down or discrimination from the acts and audience and a fancy dress competition to encourage maximum silliness.
With a great lineup and a serious commitment to an anxiety-free show, I am hopeful that this will be a show that everyone who attends can enjoy. Even if it is just their release for that day.”
A Wolfman walks into a Bar Comedy comes to Werewolf Beer, 87 Randloph Street NW1 0SR on Wednesday 17th April 2024 from 19:00 – 21:15. Tickets can be found on https://www.gigantic.com/a-wolfman-walks-into-a-bar-comedy-night-tickets
Heavy Metal Therapy 