This screening will be preceded by a mini stand-up comedy show, featuring a handful of short comedy sets and compèred by Canadian act Mike Sheer (as seen on BBC, Hulu, Netflix). Both will take place inside Screen 3, so we recommend arriving on time to grab any drinks & snacks from the Atrium Bar beforehand.

Booking will be open to members' only during the presale, with general sales opening on Thursday 15 January at 18:00. Our usual ticket pricing applies (£15 adults, £12 members and their +1).

Timings:

19:00        Atrium Bar open for drinks

19:50        Screen 3 opens

20:00        Live stand-up comedy

20:30        Screening of Is This Thing On?

22:40        Expected finish

About the film:

Directed by Bradley Cooper, and starring Will Arnett and Laura Dern, Is This Thing On? was loosely inspired by John Bishop's gig at Manchester's Frog and Bucket comedy club 25 years ago, when he decided to take part in an open-mic night to avoid paying to enter the venue. Cooper's film came about after Arnett met Bishop, and heard the story about how he had only found comedy in 2000, when he and his wife had temporarily separated.

As their marriage quietly unravels, Alex (Arnett) and Tess Novak (Dern) find themselves at a crossroads, both collectively and individually. Facing middle age and the spectre of impending divorce, Alex seeks renewed purpose in the New York stand-up comedy scene, while Tess confronts the sacrifices she made for their family. Together, they’re forced to navigate co-parenting, shifting senses of identity and a burning question: Can love and commitment take a new form?