WHEN Fitz of Laughter Comedy Club first started in the cellar of a Stourbridge pub two years ago, promoter and host Wayne Beese had to rope in friends and family to make up the audience.

The club, based at Katie Fitzgerald’s in Enville Street, Wollaston, runs on the first Friday of every month and celebrated its second anniversary at its September gig last week.

Wayne, a 36-year-old comic and journalist from Dudley, said: “It was hard work to start with. I used to need to get 20 people through the door at a fiver a head to break even so I could pay my headliner.

“It was hard getting the word around, we didn’t have a big budget. So I constantly bugged friends and family to support me!

“One of the first months we did it we had Colin Manford, brother of Jason, on. Jason had played the MEN Arena the night before to thousands.

“With 15 minutes to the start of the show we had three people in… and one of those was my wife!

“Luckily a big bunch of mates and family came in at the last minute and we managed to rustle together 22.

“Colin was superb and got paid – and I spent the extra tenner on McDonald’s to celebrate.”

Now, two years on, the change could not be more dramatic.

Numbers slowly built up over the first 12 months to allow a move to the bigger heated outdoor marquee at the venue, and every show this year so far has been packed to the rafters.

Stourbridge News:

Aussie John Robertson, who headlined in March, proved a big hit with the crowd

“We are getting four to five times the number of people we did at the start,” Wayne said.

“We’ve had over 100 packed into the marquee some nights. New people are coming in every month and word really seems to have spread.

“I won’t ever forget the people who were there on those early nights though – the club wouldn’t still be here now if it wasn’t for them.

“They know who they are and I’m very thankful.”

A host of TV names have taken to the stage in the past two years, including Gary Delaney, Zoe Lyons, Tom Stade, Nathan Caton, Jo Enright, Matt Richardson and Archie Kelly.

Patrick Monahan headlined the first ever show and has appeared twice since.

Winner of TV's ‘Show Me The Funny’ in 2011, Patrick said: “Fitz of Laughter is in the heart of the Midlands and it puts the heart into comedy.

“The audience is always so up for it and giving so much love and laughter. That’s why I’ve been back there a few times to do shows and will always go back.”

“Long live Fitz of Laughter!”

The club's special anniversary show took place on Friday (September 2) headlined by Paul McCaffrey, who has appeared on Russell Howard's Good News and BBC3's Impractical Jokers, with support from two other pro comics.

Next up at the club on Friday, October 7, will be Roger Monkhouse, Scott Bennett and Brennan Reece.

For more information, or to buy tickets, visit www.facebook.com/fitzoflaughter, or follow the club on Twitter @fitzoflaughter1.