The Soho Theatre is to stage live comedy gigs for the first time since March 16.
The Live Comedy Pilots Programme will feature some new and old work from Soho staples, in a covid-secure environment following government advice for Tier-2 venues. Measures will include a one-way system throughout the venue, a socially distanced seating plan with limited capacity, paperless tickets and contactless payments, a phone and online-only box office, as well as the possibility to pre-order drinks when buying your tickets.
The line-up announced so far is as follows:
Friday 11 December, 7pm Shappi Khorsandi: The Shappi Hour
Shappi Khorsandi is one of the UK’s best stand-up comedians whose TV credits range from Mock the Week to Have I Got News For You, and 8/10 Cats to some obscure history show she’s not sure if anyone watched. Her radio credits are as long as your arm but where she truly shines is live on stage. Thank goodness she’s back, she’s not much good at anything else.
Saturday 12 December, 9.30pm Blue Book Artist Management presents
From Comedy Central at the Comedy Store, Huge Davies brings his award nominated debut show to London. Expect dark humour, surreal songs, his one-of a-kind wearable keyboard and of course: a carpark. TV appearances include Harry Hill’s Clubnite (Channel 4), Jonathan Ross’ Comedy Club and Out There (ITV), The Now Show (Radio 4), Comedy Central at the Comedy Store, The Comedy Central Chart Show and being the first ever musical battle on Roast Battle UK (Comedy Central). His acting credits include Lazy Susan’s Comedy Short and The First Team (BBC Two).
Wednesday 16 December, 7pm UTC Artist Management presents
Dane Baptiste’s Christmas List (of Issues)
Join Dane Baptiste, one of the most celebrated stars in British comedy, as he reflects on a year like no other. Star of the brand new BBC Comedy Show BAMOUS launching in 2021 and hit podcast Dane Baptiste Questions Everything. As seen on Live at the Apollo, 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown, Sunny D, Live at the Palladium… pretty much all over your TV screen.
With support from the fast-rising Toussaint Douglass. Toussaint Douglass is one of comedy’s most exciting and talked about new names and is already making serious waves across the industry. His innovative brand of stand up mixes the personal with the political, whilst adding a uniquely absurdist slant to brilliant comic effect.
Thursday 17 December, 7pm Chambers Management presents
Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Newcomer-nominee Sindhu Vee returns to Soho with an hour of brand-new material. As seen and heard on Live At The Apollo, QI, Have I Got News For You, Sex Education, Things My Mother Never Told Me (...About Lockdown) and The Guilty Feminist Podcast.
Friday 18 December, 7pm Ebdon Management presents
Jessica Fostekew: Hench Version 2.0 – The Re-remembering
Hench Version 2.0 - The re-remembering. With all the Christmas trimmings (code for new bits tucked in, here and there). Absolute powershed and regular host of The Guilty Feminist, Jessica Fostekew explores her big strong strength. Have you ever watched a feminist try and take ‘hench’ as a compliment? It’s like watching a snake eat but funny. Hench was nominated for the Dave’s Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Show, Best Show at the Leicester Comedy Festival and it won best show in the 2020 Chortle Awards, Jess also taking best break-through act. Jess has been seen on BBC’s Live at the Apollo, QI and Richard Osman’s House of Games, in BBC sitcoms Motherland and Cuckoo and BAFTA Award-winning drama Three Girls. She's also in Michael Winterbottom’s feature film, Greed.
Friday 18 December, 9.30pm PBJ Management presents
Tim Key will be tethering his long-suffering reindeer outside Soho Theatre and nipping in to empty his festive sack all over the floor/audience/place. There’ll be poems of course, stinkin’ sprouts, probably mulled wine, cloves, and other yule garbage. Poems have all been dug back out of Key’s trusty Christmas chest and Key’s tinsel is in tatters. Classic Christmas Fayre. Also, big questions over budget so reindeer may end up being a normal deer or cow.
Saturday 19 December, 7pm Soho Theatre presents
Stand Up with Janine Harouni (Please Remain Seated)
At Janine's father is a lifelong New Yorker and son of Middle-Eastern immigrants. He's also an avid Donald Trump supporter. Attempting to reconcile those things makes for one tense Sunday dinner. Catch multi award-winning newcomer Janine Harouni in her debut show about standing up for what you believe in, even if you have to do it really nicely. Winner: Laughing Horse New Act of the Year 2018 and 1/3 of award-winning sketch trio Muriel. Seen/heard on Comedy Central, Comic Relief, BBC Three, and BBC Radio Four.
Saturday 19 December, 9.30pm Chambers Management presents
At the beginning of 2020, Catherine Bohart was busy writing a stand-up show about moving into a new home with her long-term partner and about how life in general was going pretty well. This is not that show. Join the star of BBC2’s The Mash Report for an hour of (mostly) new stand-up comedy. As seen and heard on Roast Battle, 8 Out Of 10 Cats, The Stand Up Sketch Show, Jon Richardson: Ultimate Worrier and The Guilty Feminist Podcast.
