Crash test comedy night - free stand-up

Crash Test Comedy returns to The Cuban Embassy in Moseley on Sunday 1 November, part of its regular run on the first Sunday of every month. It's a new material night, which means the comedians on the bill bring their freshest jokes to the stage to road-test them live in front of an audience rather than relying on their polished, well-worn sets.

That's the whole point of the night: you're seeing work in progress. The room might witness the best joke of a comic's career, or a set so disastrous they may never want to show their face again. It's a bit of a gamble for the performers, and that's where the appeal is. You get to see the process of a joke being built or falling apart in real time, rather than the finished version that eventually makes it into a recorded show.

The venue fits the bill. The Cuban Embassy (also known as The Bulls Head) is at 23 Saint Mary's Row, B13 8HW, and it leans into the show's informal, experimental spirit. It's not a formal theatre, so the whole thing keeps a relaxed, low-pressure feel that suits a night of trial and error.

Doors open at 18:00 and the show starts at 18:30, so you've got plenty of time to get a drink in before the first act takes the stage. Entry is free, and since it runs every first Sunday of the month, it's an easy one to keep on the radar for when you fancy a bit of stand-up without spending a penny.