Happy new year, theatre and comedy fans. I hope you’re managing to find online work to keep you going until we can all be in the same spaces again. Just a few updates this month, but they’re good ones!
Funny Women have a bunch of activities going on including a comedy night with a twist, Alternative Interviews on 28 January. The performers will all be prompted by this question: “How would you describe your 2020? Do not use full sentences, ideally don’t use words at all.” They also have a new podcast series, Behind the Scenes, with Ivy Paige.
From RUMAH, Welcome to My Crying Party is a party/workshop led by Asian artists for Asian artists on 30 January. It has sessions from Adelina Ong, Red Henna, Mae Yip from ERIC and Sam Reynolds. If you’re from London and sign up before 24 January you will receive a crying party kit and workshop materials.
Also on 30 January is $exquisite, an evening of interdisciplinary art created by sex worker artists. They say: “Come and #supportyourlocalsexworker by consuming our art! Sex workers are intelligent, resourceful and creative AF. Celebrate their talents in this socially distanced, seductive and stigma defying show. Eight acts, all different disciplines: from dance to burlesque, rap to comedy and performance art.”
Leicester Comedy Festival is going ahead from 3 until 21 February and tickets are available now for online events including Zoe Lyons, Angela Barnes and Rosie Jones.
And finally Manimals from Michelle Hudson is a new play that combines online theatre, gaming, and performance art to playfully explore the world of online dating. It’s available as a digital tour supported by UK and Canadian theatres starting on 10 February. Not only will the play itself be delivered over Zoom, there’s also a bespoke app. We’re in the future everyone!
The feature image is courtesy of Manimals and shows Michelle Hudson standing in the middle of a computer generated image. She is framed by a representation of a Tinder-style yes/no interface and is standing in the middle of a pink room against a peach background. Through the windows of the room blue animal eyes can be seen and there is a blue balloon-animal dog above it all.
