Reporter Darcie Rawlings headed to Durham comedy night Dweebs Comedy hosted at Fabio’s Bar in Durham city centre for their Oscars themed show.  

Here are our thoughts on Durham's 'most chaotic' comedy night. 

Marketed as County Durham's ‘most chaotic’ monthly comedy night Dweebs Comedy certainly lives up to its disorderly name, full of slap stick bits including shaving cream pies, stage slaps, real slaps and a clown – Dweebs is certainly an unpredictable evening.

The Northern Echo: We visited Dweebs Comedy hosted at Fabio’s Bar in Durham city centre for their Oscars themed show

After climbing, what felt like 10 flights of stairs to Fabio’s Bar, located on Saddler Street, I was greeted with metallic gold door curtains, a mixture of hanging doilies and bunting and a few mini-Oscar awards dotted around the stage - even before the comedy began the venue was oozing chaos.

Fabio’s bar felt like the perfect spot for a comedy evening, intimate, mood lit and set for an Oscars show with their hap-hazard decorations.

The Northern Echo: Fabio's Bar was decorated with metallic gold door curtains, a mixture of hanging doilies and

Organisers Ben Lycett & Jack Simmonds donned shirts and black ties as hosts for the evening as they continually bounced jokes off of each other.

Opening the show, winner of the Leicester Square Theatre New Comedian of the Year, Sam Lake warmed up the crowd with jokes about office friendships and an impeccable Penelope Cruz impression that left the crowd in stitches.

The Northern Echo: Sam Lake at Dweebs Comedy Night

What followed was a fever-dream mash up of amateur acting, impressions of the royal family, whole lot of slaps to Jack’s face and a shaving-cream pie.

In the best way possible, this section of the show was like watching a car crash - you couldn't take your eyes off the stage. 

The Northern Echo: Princess Kate and Princess Diana impressionists at Dweebs Comedy Night

My favourite comic of the evening was Shay Raper, winner of the Felt Nowt New Act of the Year 2024, who brought some classic northern and very awkward humour to the show.

Shay generated some of the most genuine belly-laughs of the evening as he joked about not wanting to have children and being a disappointment to his parent.

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The Northern Echo: Shay Raper at Dweebs Comedy Night

Next were some shorter sets performed by Pamela Tracy and Anna West. Pamela reflected on becoming a young mother in the North East, and performed a snippet of Snoop Dogg’s 'back-catalogue', and Anna highlighted why she didn’t like comedians and living with her flatmates.

In classic Oscar’s fashion there was also an 'In Memoriam' section which included a slideshow of celebrities predicted to not make it to 2025, however as a fan of Paddington Bear and Timothy Chalamet I certainly hope these predictions are false.

The Northern Echo: Headliner Brennan Reece at Dweebs Comedy Night

Taking full advantage of the crowd, which was visibly full of Durham University Students, headliner Brennan Reece (who was nominated for Best Newcomer at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards) closed the show with some hilarious jibes at 'posh' students and interacted with the crowd, discussing what the I means in LGBTQIA+.

Silly, satirical, and full of unpredictability Dweebs comedy is a cheap and cheerful comedy evening that boasts some fantastic budding and established comedians each month, this comedy show is one to look out for.

Taking place once a month, for more information about the next Dweebs Comedy Night visit here.