Comedy takes to the pods

Jo Brand, Arthur Smith, Junior Simpson and Kevin Day are to perform in a London Eye pod next week to highlight Fair Trade products.

The tourist attraction is being taken over for a host of music, comedy and theatre productions next Thursday, with the likes of Damon Albarn, Beth Orton and the National Theatre all taking part.

There will be a total of 96 shows – and punters who buy the £21 tickets won’t know which one they’ll get until their pod comes around.

Stand-up Robin Ince, who’ll be hosting a special mini version of his London Book Club night in one of the pods, said:  "Due to a fear of bracelets and an allergy to coffee and bananas, it has been hard to demonstrate my belief in a world of fair trade (also T shirts make me look a bit bosomy), nevertheless creating a decent world where farmers and industries in Africa are not crushed by big business and devious Western governmental manipulations is something I am quite keen on...and not just because it makes Daily Mail columnists puce "

The other comedians taking part are Phil Nichol, Boothby Graffoe, Toju, Curtis Walker,  Jocelyn Jee Esien, Andy Zaltzman, John Oliver, Andrew Clover, Julia Morris and Gordon Southern.

Published: 13 Jun 2005