Show comics will have you in stitches
Paul Collins | 25.02.2010 15:36
25 February 2010
Show comics will have you in stitches
Stars raise funds for clothes sweatshops, poverty drives
A galaxy of leading comedians next week aims to have their audience in stitches with a show to help fight for global justice, including workers on poverty wages making clothes for British stores.
Three of the magazine Time Out’s readers’ top 10 comedians will raise laughs and cash in the show for the charity War on Want at the O2 Shepherds Bush Empire in London on 4 March.
Proceeds from the event will boost War on Want campaigns, such as Love Fashion Hate Sweatshops, the biggest-ever call for British government action to stop UK retailers abusing overseas garment workers.
Other campaigns to benefit from the show will include the charity’s drives against tax dodging, trade injustice, private armies, unemployment amid the world financial crisis and the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
Stewart Lee, second in the Time Out list and writer and director behind the award-winning comic musical Jerry Springer: The Opera, tops the charity’s bill.
Also booked for the event is Janey Godley, rated third best among Time Out readers, a prize-winning humorist who makes regular appearances on the BBC Radio 4 panel game Just a Minute.
And the charity’s show will include Terry Saunders, ninth in Time Out’s poll, a hit on five national BBC radio stations.
Another favourite on the bill will be Ed Byrne, a guest on TV programmes such as Have I Got News for You, who will make his debut in the new BBC2 series The Bubble tomorrow (26 February).
The War on Want lineup also features Arsenal football supporter Ian Stone, who has appeared in the BBC Radio 5 Live sports panel show Fighting Talk and on TV’s Mock the Week.
Sharing the limelight will be Dan Antopolski, who has won the BBC New Comedy Award and the 2009 prize for the best joke at the Edinburgh festival fringe.
Completing the bill will be prizewinning standup Andy Zaltzman, who co-hosted Radio 4’s satirical series Political Animal and co-produces a weekly comic podcast for the Times newspaper online.
The show will be compered by Ivor Dembina, who is now touring his show This Is Not a Subject for Comedy about Israel and Palestine.
Stefanie Pfeil, fundraising director at War on Want, said: “Our strongest comedy lineup will guarantee a great night out for a great cause. We urge people who love a laugh and care about poverty to join us.”
Doors open at 7 pm for the show, which starts at 7.30 pm in the Empire at Shepherds Bush Green, London W12 8TT.
People can book tickets, priced £20 and £15, at www.waronwant.org or www.ticketweb.co.uk or on 0844 477 2000.
CONTACT: Paul Collins, War on Want media office (+44) (0)20 7549 0584 or (+44) (0)7983 550728
Show comics will have you in stitches
Stars raise funds for clothes sweatshops, poverty drives
A galaxy of leading comedians next week aims to have their audience in stitches with a show to help fight for global justice, including workers on poverty wages making clothes for British stores.
Three of the magazine Time Out’s readers’ top 10 comedians will raise laughs and cash in the show for the charity War on Want at the O2 Shepherds Bush Empire in London on 4 March.
Proceeds from the event will boost War on Want campaigns, such as Love Fashion Hate Sweatshops, the biggest-ever call for British government action to stop UK retailers abusing overseas garment workers.
Other campaigns to benefit from the show will include the charity’s drives against tax dodging, trade injustice, private armies, unemployment amid the world financial crisis and the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
Stewart Lee, second in the Time Out list and writer and director behind the award-winning comic musical Jerry Springer: The Opera, tops the charity’s bill.
Also booked for the event is Janey Godley, rated third best among Time Out readers, a prize-winning humorist who makes regular appearances on the BBC Radio 4 panel game Just a Minute.
And the charity’s show will include Terry Saunders, ninth in Time Out’s poll, a hit on five national BBC radio stations.
Another favourite on the bill will be Ed Byrne, a guest on TV programmes such as Have I Got News for You, who will make his debut in the new BBC2 series The Bubble tomorrow (26 February).
The War on Want lineup also features Arsenal football supporter Ian Stone, who has appeared in the BBC Radio 5 Live sports panel show Fighting Talk and on TV’s Mock the Week.
Sharing the limelight will be Dan Antopolski, who has won the BBC New Comedy Award and the 2009 prize for the best joke at the Edinburgh festival fringe.
Completing the bill will be prizewinning standup Andy Zaltzman, who co-hosted Radio 4’s satirical series Political Animal and co-produces a weekly comic podcast for the Times newspaper online.
The show will be compered by Ivor Dembina, who is now touring his show This Is Not a Subject for Comedy about Israel and Palestine.
Stefanie Pfeil, fundraising director at War on Want, said: “Our strongest comedy lineup will guarantee a great night out for a great cause. We urge people who love a laugh and care about poverty to join us.”
Doors open at 7 pm for the show, which starts at 7.30 pm in the Empire at Shepherds Bush Green, London W12 8TT.
People can book tickets, priced £20 and £15, at www.waronwant.org or www.ticketweb.co.uk or on 0844 477 2000.
CONTACT: Paul Collins, War on Want media office (+44) (0)20 7549 0584 or (+44) (0)7983 550728
Paul Collins
e-mail:
pcollins@waronwant.org
Homepage:
http://www.waronwant.org