Steve Bennett joins Angel Comedy s cheeky midnight gig as lockdown eases
Comedy’s often best when it feels illicit – and gathering at midnight to partake of an activity banned by the government for the past five months certainly seems rebellious.
But it was a speakeasy, London’s Bill Murray venue was a very compliant one, with all the sadly familiar faff of socially distanced queues and seating, app check-ins, masks when moving around, and so on. Pity the couple who turned up on spec without tickets: the world is currently stacked against such reckless spontaneity.
In sticking to the rules, doors could only open at one minute past midnight as May 16 turned into May 17, but in doing so the Islington venue cheekily achieved the first indoor comedy gig this year.
Really moving to perform first post-lockdown comedy show
By Ian Youngs
image copyrightChristian Sayers
image captionBarry Ferns: It s been an extraordinarily difficult year because what we do became illegal
Performing live to an audience again was really quite moving , according to a comedian who put on a show as soon as lockdown rules were eased at midnight.
Barry Ferns, who co-founded the Angel Comedy club at The Bill Murray pub in Islington, London, said it was such a relief to get back on stage.
He was one of six comedians who performed for an audience of 45 people - half the usual capacity.
Bill Murray venue jumps on lockdown relaxation
Comedy clubs are wasting no time in reopening once Covid lockdown restrictions relax on Monday.
And London’s Bill Murray is taking that to extremes, opening bang on midnight for its – and indeed the UK’s – first live indoor comedy gig of the year.
Comic Barry Ferns, co-founder of Angel Comedy Club that runs the venue, told Chortle: ‘The idea actually came from a joke - as a lot of our ideas come from!
‘In a meeting someone said, May 17? Let’s do a gig at one minute past midnight, on May 17. Everyone laughed. Then there was a silence, as we all began to think of the fun of actually doing that, and everyone pretty much at once decided that the sooner we can start gigging again the better!
New boutique micro-festival is coming to Cambridge this summer
The Faraway Festival will take place at Shelford Rugby Club
Henry Pattinson and Will Cleaver of Dusk and Duchy Events
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A new boutique micro-festival is coming to Cambridge this summer.
And with live music, stand-up comedy performances and classic movie screenings over the course of a week, it offers a welcome opportunity to enjoy some summer fun after a year of Covid restrictions.