NextUp, the digital comedy club streaming unseen sets from the best of comedy’s rising stars, is to partner with Brighton Fringe in order to keep the festival going digitally during the Coronavirus pandemic.
Rosie Blackwell Sutton, Marketing Manager for Brighton Fringe says: “The impact of the pandemic has been devastating and we are so pleased to be partnering with NextUp to give our audience the opportunity to watch some of what would have been wonderful live content from the festival in the comfort of their own homes during lockdown.”
Via NextUp’s virtual venue NextUp Now, the partnership will give comedians a forum to perform their sets and make some money in the process. Through live streaming, festival goers will be able to watch shows online and the partnership will also aim to recoup some of the festival’s lost earnings through a NextUp membership affiliate scheme.
Sarah Henley, NextUp co-founder says “The Coronavirus pandemic continues to devastate the entertainment industry in the UK and we are doing everything in our power to help keep comedy venues and festivals afloat through digitalising as much of what would have been live content as possible. We’re really excited to partner with Brighton Fringe and hope our streams bring some light relief to comedy fans across the country.”
For a full list of live-streamed shows alongside the programme guide, please view here.
NextUp Now can be streamed live from Facebook, Youtube and Twitch where you can chat directly with your favourite comedians, eat breakfast with them, and watch shows they’d otherwise be previewing for Edinburgh. The platform has also launched some very special ‘Pandemic-Specific’ formats such as Anna Mann’s Dinner Party and acts featured in the first few weeks include Tom Ward, Anna Mann and Luisa Omielan as well as circuit favourites Pope’s Addiction Clinic and Ted Hill’s Quiz Night.
All details on the various initiatives NextUp are running to support the industry during the pandemic can be found at www.hecklethevirus.com. Donations can be made to the
Just Giving page here: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/hecklethevirus
