We Wish You a Merry Covid (Arms)
Sat 5th December
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THE ACTS
KIRI PRITCHARD MCLEAN
Your host is Welsh Comedian Kiri Pritchard-Mclean – a double Chortle Award winning stand up comedian, writer and satirist. Recent television appearances include Have I Got News For You, The Russell Howard Hour (which she writes on) and Stand Up Central. Kiri hosted both Stand Up at BBC Wales and Wales at the Edinburgh Fringe for the BBC where she introduces a throng of the most exciting comics in the UK. She will be in upcoming episodes of Hypothetical, Roast Battle and the Comedy Central Specials.
A regular on BBC radio, Kiri has appeared many times on The Now Show and the News Quiz. She often co-hosts on Rhod Gilbert’s radio show and guest hosted Newsjack Extra. Kiri is a writing/ directing member of Foster’s Comedy Award nominated sketch group Gein’s Family Giftshop who have a third installment of their radio series in the pipeline.
Kiri is a co-creator and co-host of both the All Killa No Filla podcast and the live juggernaut Amusical. All Killa No Filla is a podcast about serial killers that has a gigantic following worldwide. Co hosted with Rachel Fairburn, the podcast’s live adaptation sold out The Leicester Square Theatre in minutes and toured the United States. Amusical is a phenomena that started in Backyard Comedy Comedy and has run monthly for just over a year. Comedians sing their favourite songs from the musicals, hosted by Kiri with Jayde Adams and house band Dave and the Quavers. In the short time since it’s conception it has sold out the Pleasance Grand in Edinburgh twice and been made into a pilot with Burning Bright for Comedy Central.
SARA PASCOE
Sara is one of the most revered comedians in the UK. She has hosted ‘Live at the Apollo’ (BBC2) and ‘Comedians Giving Lectures’ (Dave), and appeared on a host of other best-loved TV shows including ‘Mock the Week’, ‘Have I Got News for You?’, ‘QI’, ‘Would I Lie to You?’ and ‘8 out of 10 Cats’, as well as recording a stand-up special, ‘Sara Pascoe Live at the BBC’. Sara’s radio series, ‘Modern Monkey’, aired on BBC R4 and her authored BBC short, ‘Sara Pascoe vs Monogamy’, was broadcast to great acclaim. Sara has enjoyed multiple sell-out UK tours and a sell-out run in London’s West End. As an actress, Sara has an impressive array of TV credits including the BAFTA nominated ‘Twenty Twelve’ (BBC2), ‘W1A’ (BBC2), ‘Campus’ (C4), ‘The Thick of It’ (BBC2) and ‘Being Human’ (BBC3). Sara has authored the critically acclaimed ‘Animal’ and the Sunday Times Best Seller ‘Sex Power Money’.
DARREN HARRIOT
Darren Harriott is one of the most exciting up-and-coming comedians on the circuit. Over the last year, he has appeared on Russell Howard’s Stand Up Central, BBC Radio 4’s Best of the Fest, BBC 4 Extra Stands Up, and he also features in a new series for Comedy Central Online. 2017 saw Darren head to the Edinburgh Festival with his debut hour ‘Defiant’ at the Pleasance Courtyard, which was a big hit with audiences and critics alike. He was nominated for Best Newcomer. Originally from Birmingham, and now living in London, Darren Harriott is a regular at clubs such as Comedy Café, Top Secret, Backyard Comedy Club, The Boat Show, Piccadilly and Covent Garden Comedy Club. A confident performer with a captivating charm, Darren’s comedy deals with everything from subverting stereotypes, to everyday observations, to that juiciest of topics, religion – all with a cutting edge.
NISH KUMAR
Since beginning his comedy career in 2006, Nish has achieved global success on the stand-up circuit with his rave-reviewed solo stand-up shows receiving huge recognition from industry and fans alike.
Nish is a double Edinburgh Comedy Award Nominee, panel show regular, and hosts The Mash Report (BBC Two) with comics Ellie Taylor, Steve N Allen, Jason Forbes, Tom Neenan and Rachel Parris. He has also hosted BBC Radio 4 Extra’s topical comedy show Newsjack.
“Critically acclaimed comic, internationally famed meme & wonderfully nice gentleman, Nish Kumar is a comedian, and a bloody good one at that.” (Time Out).
“The affable comic expertly blends comedy and commentary in a routine that snipes unpityingly at Britain’s political class.” (The Guardian).
‘Impressive and accomplished… full of confidently delivered, wryly witty tales that delight in the quirks and possibilities of language’ (The Scotsman)
ROSIE JONES
With her infectious laugh and high energy Rosie Jones brings ‘huge laughs’ (Chortle) and has quickly become a must-see act on the comedy circuit. The ex-television researcher was awarded second place in the Leicester Mercury’s New Comedian Of The Year 2018, and has already starred on 8 Out Of 10 Cats and Last Leg: The Correspondents. With seemingly no end to her talents, Rosie is also an incredible actor, making her primetime debut as Serena in a Silent Witness two-part special.
THE EVENT
After a sensationally successful 19 online shows, The Covid Arms presents a raucous evening of live and livestreamed stand-up from the brightest and best of the UK comedy scene, all in the name of supporting comics and the Trussell Trust.
The Covid Arms has become a rare success story of 2020, starting off life as a Whatsapp group of friends, and turning into a popular internet pub that has welcomed everyone from Frankie Boyle to Nish Kumar, Harry Hill to Lolly Adefope. In total, the gigs have raised over £110,000 for the food bank charity The Trussell Trust.
For the first time, the gig is welcoming a large (socially distanced) audience to the iconic Pleasance in London, as well as selling livestream tickets so there’s the option of watching at home with your (Christmas) slippers off too.
Our landlady Kiri Pritchard Mclean will be welcoming some acts live at the Pleasance, and some will be streaming in from their living rooms all over the country.
Expect big laughs, signature competitions and a smorgasbord of excellent comedians, including some of your favourites from TV.
The event will take place on Saturday 5th December 2020 at 7pm (UK time).
Your ticket will allow you to watch the event through YouTube. Throughout the evening we’ll be giving away beer as part of our themed competition which anyone can take part in. Those in the ‘virtual front row’ will also be able to join a dance off with the winner getting a slab of delicious Beavertown beer!
Finally – please be warned that strong language will be used from the beginning and this may not be suitable for children.
THE CHARITY
The Trussell Trust support a nationwide network of food banks and together provide emergency food and support to people locked in poverty, and campaign for change to end the need for food banks in the UK.
In the UK, more than 14 million people are living in poverty – including 4.5 million children. TT support more than 1,200 food bank centres in the UK to provide a minimum of three days’ nutritionally-balanced emergency food to people who have been referred in crisis, as well as support to help people resolve the crises they face. Between April 2018 and March 2019, food banks in their network provided a record 1.6 million food supplies to people in crisis, a 19% increase on the previous year.
We know it takes more than food to end hunger. That’s why we bring together the experiences of food banks in our network to challenge the structural economic issues that lock people in poverty, and campaign to end the need for food banks in the UK.
YOUR TICKET
You will receive your ticket immediately upon purchase. Follow the link in your confirmation email to watch the show. Check our FAQs for more information!