Dr Oliver Double, Reader in Drama within the School of Arts and Head of the Performance and Theatre Research Cluster, has just released the latest episode of the podcast series ‘A History of Comedy in Several Objects’.

In the podcast series, Olly examines objects from Kent’s British Stand-Up Comedy Archive alongside Project Archivist Elspeth Millar.

In the latest instalment, the item from the archive is ‘Peter Grahame’s Diary’ from 1986. Peter founded the comedy club Downstairs at the King’s Head with Huw Thomas in 1981.

‘I think it has a good claim to be Britain’s oldest comedy club,’ explains Olly, ‘the Comedy Store opened in 1979 but that’s been in three different venues, but Downstairs at the King’s Head – as the name would suggest – has always been downstairs at the King’s Head.’

The diary contains details of the club’s bookings. In the course examining the object, Olly and Elspeth also discuss the wider context of the comedians and comedy scene of the 1980s, and interview Peter himself to hear about his unique outlook on the industry and how it is changing.

The podcast is free to download and is available here.