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Yes this is me wrestling. Now I have your attention, as you probably follow me on here because of comedy & not wrestling, could you do me a favour & sign this petition to #SaveLiveComedy https://savelivecomedy. @LiveComedyUK
I actually cannot believe that comedy has not been listed under the government scheme to #SaveTheArts. Listen, it may not be the opinion of everyone who has come & seen me perform, especially one bad joke I have about putting sushi in the microwave...
... but live comedy & stand up is an art form & is in crisis as an industry. It is also a money making industry when we can do it & a far more accessible form of art, not just in terms of voices, but also in terms of prices & who gets to go see it & be entertained.
Some of my favourite places in the world are on stage in small comedy clubs & they are in dire need of support from the government right now. Most of the comedy acts you love & may have been watching during lockdown have come up through the live circuits.
Things like Live at the Apollo sets all get worked out in small comedy clubs. The @LiveComedyUK did a survey and found that 77.8% of UK comedy venues face permanent closure within a year if things don't change.
…This also poses a risk of comedy losing voices from working class & minority backgrounds when it has never needed them more. I’m very lucky to be where I am in my career, but I would not have it without live comedy, which often welcomes voices that TV often does not.
Unlike Opera/ theatre etc, live comedy is not supported by the Arts Council. Edinburgh, festivals, gigs in tiny bars, on boats, stages made out of crates, playing to 1 person. Audiences can come sometimes for free or a fiver & not the price of a West End ticket.
For joy’s sake, it would be also lovely if you could reply with a positive live comedy experience/ memory with the hashtag #savelivecomedy
(If you took any of these pics, mention below so I can thank you x)- the official end of my thread. I’ve been Aisling Bea, drive home safe.x
(If you took any of these pics, mention below so I can thank you x)- the official end of my thread. I’ve been Aisling Bea, drive home safe.x
