Comics to pay tribute to their colleague, who also performed as Jack Russell

Comedians are to pay tribute to their colleague John Cowley at a memorial event in London later this month.

The stand-up, who also performed under the name Jack Russell, died at the age of 53 last month.

At the centrepiece of the show will be a 45-minute film of a set he did in Indonesia in 2001. He is believed to have been the first UK stand-up to play the country.

Cowley’s mother  Almha will also be at the event, where friends and co-workers will be invited to say a few words and tell anecdotes.

The Welsh-born comic was most active in the 1990s, taking part in the  Big Value Comedy Show at the Edinburgh Fringe in 1996 and working on Tim Vine’s shows. He was a circuit regular and also performed at festivals and at expat gigs as far afield as Bali and Dubai, as well as one solo Edinburgh show in 2001.

He studied drama at Brunel University. spent some time living on a barge in London, and retired from stand-up more than a decade ago. He had been based in Galway at the time of his death.

The memorial event has been arranged by John’s ex-girlfriend and fellow comedian Susan Murray.

It takes place at the Backyard Comedy Club in Bethnal Green, East London, from 8pm on October 28 and entry is free.

Published: 17 Oct 2018