The Covid Arms becomes a real venue! | Today's comedy on demand

The Covid Arms becomes a real venue!

Today's comedy on demand

Here's Chortle's daily round-up of new comedy to watch at home during lockdown.

This list, updated at around 3pm daily, covers subscription services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, iPlayer and NextUp, to podcasts and live streaming, is your essential guide to getting a daily dose of laughs.

You can search our listings for a more comprehensive list of online events using the blue box at the left or top of this page. Or if you're a promoter wanting to add an event, details are here.


Saturday September 19

COMEDY AT THE COVID ARMS: For the first time, this well-established virtual gig will be live-streamed from a real venue tonight. Regular host Kiri Pritchard-McLean and Tudur Owen will be performing from a tipi in Wales, while other performers, including headliner Harry Hill, will be streaming from their lounges as normal. As always, the money raised will be split between the performers and The Trussell Trust food banks. Get your tickets here.


Friday September 18

NOISE NEXT DOOR: Putting some bounce into improv, the energetic quartet will be performing live from a trampoline park tonight, as they turn audience suggestions into comedy scenes and songs, while battling gravity itself. They'll be online at 9.15pm. Tickets here.

THE BOSS OF IT ALL: A raft of guest stars including 'America’s $1 Funnyman' Neil Hamburger joins the cast of a livestreamed version of Lars von Trier’s office comedy The Boss of It All which starts today. The idea is that for years the boss of an IT company has tricked his staff into believing he is simply another co-worker. So when he needs a ‘real’ boss to help close the deal of a lifetime, he hires an actor to play the role. A different guest plays the enigmatic Icelandic boss Finnur in the final scene of the show, with cabaret star Le Gateau Chocolat taking the role in today's 8pm performance. Tomorrow it's Indian comedian Anuvab Pal at 4pm and Hamburger at 8pm; and on Sunday it's Gemma Whelan with her comedian husband Gerry Howell at 4pm , followed by Natalie Palamides for the evening show. Tickets available from Soho Theatre.

THE COMEDY STORE: The legendary venue put another unreleased stand-up show from the archives out online tonight, with Carl Hutchinson, Glenn Wool, Kate Lucas, Pierre Hollins. It streams from 7pm – and is available for the next week – and tickets, priced £5.50, are available here.


Thursday September 17

MAT EWINS: RETROSPECTIVE: The stand-up, who was nominated for the Edinburgh Comedy Award in 2017, is known for his silly, and often technically ambitious, comedy videos. And in a special session tonight he will go through his archives to present the best of them. Get your ticket, priced £9, here.

AN INTERVIEW WITH Shappi Khorsandi: In the latest virtual Leicester Comedy Festival session, the event's founder, Geoff Rowe, talks to Khorsandi about her career and her views on the future of live comedy. It starts at 8pm, and tickets are available here.

A NIGHT IN WITH... Dom Joly: The Trigger Happy TV creator will be talking about his exploits as a serial globe-trotter and seeker of dangerous travel spots in this virtual event, run with Dudley Borough Halls in the West Midlands. From North Korea to the Congo and Syria to Chernobyl, Dom Joly – who famously attended school with Osama Bin Laden – has visited some of the most unusual places on the planet. The event is at 6.30pm and tickets, priced £7, are available here.

DR JASON LEONG - HASHTAG BLESSED: Malaysian doctor turned comedian Jason Leong gives his diagnoses on the nonsense of traditional healers, business-class show-offs and Chinese ghosts in this new Netflix stand-up special. It was filmed at the Temple Of Fine Arts in Kuala Lumpur and released yesterday to mark Malaysia Day. Watch here.


Wednesday September 16

I CAN’T BELIEVE IT’S NOT BUDDHA: In this podcast, which launched today, Lee Mack explores his hitherto casual interest in Buddhism, mindfulness and the possibility of leading a more spiritual life to see if he should take the road to nirvana a little more seriously. He said: 'My mate Neil [Webster], who I’m doing this podcast with, convinced me that the Buddhist way is about us all being one entity, so I should write a quote on behalf of us both, as my voice is also his voice. Although I have just realised he’s just being lazy and getting me to do all the admin, which has annoyed me a bit. So in summary, we’re doing a podcast about Buddhism where we could definitely both do with a bit of enlightenment.' The show is available on Global Player or wherever else you get your podcasts.

BOARD GAME SMACKDOWN: In this weekly series, four comedians people play a silly party game, with tonight's edition focussing on Poetry for Neanderthals, a competitive word-guessing game where you can only give clues by speaking in single syllables. Playing are Jason John Whitehead, Bethany Black, Maz Flax and Lew Dunn, with host James Cook, It kicks off at 7pm here

JONNY & THE BAPTISTS: MAKING PADDY HAPPY The duo – Jonny Donahoe and Paddy Gervers - have returned for the second series of their podcast about the very pertinent topic of 'trying to be happy, trying to cope, and trying your best' – but always with the intention of being fun. Listen on Spotify


Tuesday September 15

WHEEL OF MISFORTUNE: Phil Wang shares his humiliating stories of poo-related mishaps with Alison Spittle and Fern Brady in the latest episode of the confessional BBC Sounds podcast, available here.

XS MALARKEY: A strong line-up graces Twitch for tonight's virtual gig from the much-loved Manchester club. Regular compere Toby Hadoke will be intruding Jen Brister, Laurence Clark, Sara Barron and Ola The Comedian from 8pm here. And you can donate here

COMICS SOLVING PROBLEMS: Stand-ups Steve N Allen, from The Mash Report, and Erich McElroy continue their twice-weekly, topical-inspired comedy shows tonight (it's every Tuesday and Thursday). Tune in at 9pm on YouTube.


Monday September 14

JORDAN BROOKES: I'VE GOT NOTHING: A professional recording of last year's Edinburgh comedy award-winning show is being screened twice tonight. Once uninterrupted, then again with Brookes offerings a commentary on his own show. Donate at least a fiver to his Crowdfunder by 6.30pm to join the stream at 7pm.

ANNA MANN'S MANIC MONDAYS: One of Britain's most-beloved thespians - Anna Mann - will be chatting, insulting, riffing and reminiscing on her showbusiness career in this new streaming show. Colin Hoult's delightfully batty alter-ego works well online, given her effusive, chatty, free-flowing nature. This gig kicks off at 8pm via Always Be Comedy.

CLOSE ENOUGH: This new animated comedy revolves around a married couple struggling with adulting, their five-year-old daughter, and their two divorced roommates all living together in LA. It launched on HBO Max in the States earlier this summer but today lands on Netflix in the rest of the world. Critics have generally praised the show for using absurdity to capture the strangeness of being an adult.


Sunday September 13

AWKWAFINA IS NORA FROM QUEENS: The US series arrived on iPlayer this morning, with the titular rapper, comedian and actress – who made her name in Crazy Rich Asians – telling the semi-fictionalised story of her life in New York when she was still Nora Lum. The comedy comes from her struggles coming to terms with being an adult, despite her 27 years, still living at home with her parents and lacking much ambition.

SUPERBOB: This twist on the superhero movie from comedian Brett Goldstein has returned to Amazon Prime. The stand-up plays a mild-mannered postman from Peckham who was struck by a meteor which bestowed him with super powers. The 2015 comedy co-stars Catherine Tate. Read our original review here

JOHN CLEESE: The comedy legend takes part in another online 'in conversation' event to tie in with his new book about creativity - this one with journalist Matthew d’Ancona kicks off at 7.30pm. Tickets cost £17.99, including a copy of the book. Tickets available here.


Need more suggestions?

• Click here for those from the week starting September 6
• 
Click here for those from the week starting August 30
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Click here for those from the week starting August 23
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Click here for those from the week starting August 16
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Click here for those from the week starting August 9
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Click here for those from the week starting August 2
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Click here for those from the week starting July 26
• Click here for those from the week starting July 19
• 
Click here for those from the week starting July 12
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Click here for those from the week starting July 5
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Click here for those from the week starting June 28
• Click here for those from the week starting June 21
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Click here for those from the week starting June 14
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Click here for those from the week starting June 7
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Click here for those from the week starting May 31
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Click here for those from the week starting May 24
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Click here for those from the week starting May 17
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Click here for those from the week starting May 10
• Click here for those from the week starting May 3
• Click here for those from the week starting April 26
• Click here for those from the week starting April 19
• 
Click here for those from the week starting April 12
• Click here for those from the week starting April 5
• Click here for those from the week starting March 29
• 
Click here for those from the week starting March 22
• Click here for those from the week starting March 15

NOTE: Sometimes links and videos of live events expire after the event. All were valid at the time of publication

Published: 19 Sep 2020

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