Review: Comedy Sideshow at Circus Bar

Not knowing exactly what I was getting myself into, I walked into the Circus Bar on North High Street last night for The Comedy Sideshow, a showcase of local stand up comedians in Columbus.

With no certain expectations, for I have never heard of Circus Bar, let alone The Comedy Sideshow, what I got was a small tucked away location in the Short North with an even smaller audience.

Completely aware of the poor turn out, the comedians were quick to joke about it. Of course, that didn’t stop them from making the most out of the night.

Host Justin Golak, along with comedians Oliver Gray, Joseph Ivan, Jake Tyler, Mike Meyers, and headliner Chris Coen each interacted with every audience member, which couldn’t have been more than 10, especially myself, poking at my note taking and review-based purpose of attendance.

Although recognizably inconvenient, the size of the venue and crowd did not take away from the talent. I guess you can say it might have even given the show a more laid back, interactive vibe.

Almost every set was as vulgar, dark and risqué as the next, but a number of jokes stuck in my mind, whether it was because of how bizarre the story was or because I wanted to remember and tell it to a friend.

From Ivan’s openness about his homosexuality, to Meyer’s joke about every girl having a “Live. Laugh. Love.” picture frame in their apartment, and even Coen’s “Boy Named Sue” moment from a past perm hair cut, the majority of the night I felt as though I was sitting on the couch of a college house party listening to off the wall and racy jokes told by drunken frat boys.

With that said, despite the unfortunate turnout the show did not lack in pure comedic genius and seemed like a great opportunity for new and upcoming comedians.

The Comedy Sideshow is on the last Tuesday of every month at the Circus Bar on N. High St. at 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $5 at the door.