The 400-seat space was created in 1979 in imitation of clubs popular in New York but wound up pioneering the distinctly British alternative movement that elevated Jennifer Saunders, Eddie Izzard, and Ben Elton to fame. On Wednesdays and Sundays, improv comics (including Whose Line Is It Anyway?’s Josie Lawrence) entertain, while Thursday, Friday, and Saturday are for stand-up.