Comedians Damon Sumner and Toby Jarmin from the US, and Paul Creasey from Britain were showcased at the Bookworm, too.

Sumner, an African-American living in Shanghai, described his first day of teaching English in China. A small Chinese girl took one look at him and wailed: "I don't want to go with the chocolate teacher." Jarmin gave directions to his home in the hutong: "See the cocker spaniel wearing sunglasses? Take a right. You'll see my wife on the roof, giving yoga instructions to a group of feral cats."

The audience was funny, too. When Creasey mimicked a Northern Irishman saying in a threatening voice, "Get down! Get down!" a guy sitting in the audience called out, "We know where you live!" in the real accent.

This is Bishop's third visit to China. Ten years ago, while working on a documentary in Ireland, he became friendly with Nie Changliang, from Hegang, Heilongjiang province, who was working in Waterford in Ireland. In 2004, Bishop visited Nie in Dalian, Liaoning province, and his interest in China and Chinese people grew.

After his year in Beijing, Bishop wants to know enough Chinese to do stand-up, in Chinese, in front of an audience that doesn't understand a word of English. Why? His comedy will reach more people, he says. "And it's what I do."

Bishop will host the next comedy club night on May 18. Judging by the laughs the other night, buying tickets at the Bookworm in advance will be essential.