Pikes Ibiza has long been known for its mischievous spirit and tongue-in-cheek sense of humour, so where better to host a stand-up comedy night than the quirky boutique hotel?
Last night – Friday 16 July – saw the second instalment of the eye-wateringly funny Lust For Laughs get underway. The monthly series sees an eclectic line-up of international funnymen and women take to the stage. Here's the inside line...
Stand-up comedy is not something usually associated with the White Isle and gigs are few and far between, so the event was a bit of a special treat on our events calendar!
From 21:00 onwards, guests began to pile onto the iconic Pikes Ibiza tennis court, taking their seats on the same pink tarmac that late Queen icon Freddie Mercury used to enjoy a game when staying at the rock ‘n' roll hotel.
We were welcomed with a crisp glass of bubbly from event sponsors Gigglewater Prosecco, a nice touch that certainly added to the sense of occasion as we sat down. It must have been years since I attended a comedy gig, so I was looking forward to an evening of naughty jokes and warped humour.
Hosted by British comedian James Regal, the line-up for the night featured an international roster of talent including sassy Argentinian Irene Meneguzzi, her fellow countryman Andres Fajngold, Kiwi John Allis and, the headliner, Irishman Mike Rice.
Opening the show, our host James warned the audience that there would be strictly "no jokes about drugs" – because, apparently, the good people of Ibiza already know everything there is to know about this particular subject! However, apart from that, literally no topic was off the table.
First up was Irene, who regaled the audience with the relatable struggles of being a modern-day woman just turned 40, with all that entails: Botox, therapy, Tinder and emotionally traumatising trips to IKEA with potential future husbands.
Next, dry-as-a-bone funnyman Andres had us in stitches with his deadpan, hapless character. It took me a good ten minutes to work out whether he was actually putting on act – somebody give the man an award for his acting chops!
After a short interval – and quick Gigglewater top-up, this time sampling the delicious rosé variety – it was New Zealander John's turn to take to the mic. He started off well, but, he risked losing the audience when he insulted Italian pizza. I enjoy a dark sense of humour, but we all have our limits!
Headliner Mike Rice delivered the no-holds-barred finale of the night. After starting off relatively PC with tales of an Irish childhood, he veered into highly controversial territory, visibly enjoying making the audience cringe.
From "shagging" trout to the Virgin Mary, the Fringe Festival performer really went for it – and I'm pretty sure the internet police would come and find me if I repeated some of his more darker material here.
All in all, our night of mirth and comedic mayhem at Pikes Ibiza was a breath of fresh air. For the faint-hearted, it might be best avoided, but if you like your humour a little bit naughty, it's a great night out with your pals.
Keep an eye on the Ibiza Spotlight events calendar to catch the next Lust For Laughs at Pikes Ibiza, and keep up to date with all that's hip and happening on the White Isle.
