Taxi ride hailing service FREE NOW has announced four exclusive comedy gigs in London’s West End to celebrate the role of local comedy nights – and to highlight the need for audiences to support them. Each show will feature a West End takeover by four local gigs who will find themselves in the West End spotlight, enlisting a host of comedians including Nish Kumar, David Morgan, Tiff Stevenson, Hal Cruttenden, Laura Lexx, Loyiso Gola and Sofie Hagen to celebrate the UK’s live comedy circuit in all its glory.
FREE NOW has hired the Vaudeville Theatre in London and handed the keys to four of the most successful local comedy gigs, bringing them into the West End for one off shows that promise to have audiences rolling in the aisles whilst underlining the need to support grassroots comedy during these difficult times. With tickets from £12 and exclusive FREE NOW discounts for audience members on the day of the gigs to help get them there, FREE NOW are celebrating the role of local comedy gigs and giving a West End platform to show what they do.
Rise and Shine on Monday 15th November for Bring Your Own Baby Comedy, the UK’s premier baby-friendly comedy club at 11:30am. This award-winning show features the finest comedians in an entirely baby-friendly environment; the comedy’s aimed at the parents and carers but the setting is fully baby friendly – so whether you need to whip out a bum (babies only please!), a boob or a bottle, Bring Your Own Baby (‘Transformed parental leave’ – The I) is for you. In this special edition of the gig, founders Alyssa Kyria and Carly Smallman (The Rob Brydon Show) – who set up the gig for parents after Alyssa suffered from pre-natal depression whilst pregnant – will be joined by The IT Crowd and Sherlock’s Wendy Wason and star of Live at the Apollo and Frankie Boyle’s New World Order, Jen Brister for a one-off baby friendly spectacular, offering many parents and carers their first opportunity to see live comedy in 18 months.
Comedy on the Road with FREE NOW will then hand over the helm to Bring Your Own Baby Comedy, the UK’s premier baby-friendly comedy club, on Monday 15th November (11.30am show). This award-winning show features the finest comedians in an entirely baby-friendly environment; the comedy’s aimed at the parents and carers but the setting is fully baby friendly – so whether you need to whip out a bum (babies only please!), a boob or a bottle, Bring Your Own Baby (‘Transformed parental leave’ – The I) is for you. In this special edition of the gig, founders Alyssa Kyria and Carly Smallman (The Rob Brydon Show) – who set up the gig for parents after Alyssa suffered from pre-natal depression whilst pregnant – will be joined by The IT Crowd and Sherlock’s Wendy Wason and star of Live at the Apollo and Frankie Boyle’s New World Order, Jen Brister for a one-off baby friendly spectacular, offering many parents and carers their first opportunity to see live comedy in 18 months.
Also on Monday 15th November comes one of the UK’s most legendary comedy gigs, Old Rope, which has seen the great and good grapple with new material. The gimmick is simple; a piece of rope hangs from the stage and if a comic has to do an old joke to get them out of trouble, they have to touch The Rope. Set up by Tiff Stevenson (Mock the Week) more than 10 years ago, Old Rope has featured everyone from Amy Schumer to Ricky Gervais to Katherine Ryan to Daniel Kitson. In this special edition of the show, Tiffany will be joined by Late Night Mash host Nish Kumar, 8 Out of 10 Cats’ Fin Taylor, co-host of hit podcast All Killa No Filla Rachel Fairburn, Stewart Lee’s Alternative Comedy Experience’s Eleanor Tiernan, John Hastings (Chris Ramsey’s Stand Up Central) and two-time Emmy nominated stand-up Loyiso Gola.
The final instalment of Comedy on the Road with FREE NOW on Monday 29th November is award-winning Outside the Box Comedy Club, recognised for its warm and friendly vibe and a gig that regularly plays host to the biggest names in comedy whilst nurturing the next-big-things – everyone who’s everyone has performed here, from the late Robin Williams to Frank Skinner to Jo Brand to Lee Mack to Sara Pascoe. This special West End line-up will see regular host and star of Mock the Week Maff Brown welcome to the club Have I Got News For You and Would I Lie to You? regular Hal Cruttenden, Roast Battle and Hypothetical’s Laura Lexx and multi-award winning stand up Scott Bennett.
Mariusz Zabrocki, FREE NOW UK GM, said: “Supporting London’s social scene as it recovers is something that really matters to us. That’s why we’re so excited to partner with this event and help London’s existing comedy nights shine rather than doing something that competes. And we’re delighted to help those buying tickets to get there with a special discount on the night.”
FREE NOW is one of Europe’s leading ride-hailing apps that connects more than 14 million passengers with drivers in more than 100 cities. It currently operates in London, Brighton, Edinburgh, Manchester, Nottingham, Oxford, Reading, Derby and Leicester. FREE NOW is London’s leading black cab app and the city’s only ride-hailing app with black cabs and private hire vehicles all together.
Comedy On the Road with FREE NOW is the brainchild of producer and agent Corrie McGuire and is supported by leading comedy promoter Phil McIntyre Entertainment and NIMAX. Corrie McGuire said: ‘I’m delighted that Free Now are so enthusiastically supporting live comedy after the challenges of the past 18 months, and that we can shine a spotlight on some of the best gigs London has to offer. The nursery slopes of local clubs nurture the next generation of comedy superstars so it’s vital we get out there and support them.’
Visit nimaxtheatres.com to purchase tickets for Comedy on the Road with Free Now.
Tickets start at £12 plus fees
Venue: Vaudeville Theatre https://www.nimaxtheatres.com/theatres/vaudeville-theatre/
11.30am, Monday 15th November – Bring Your Own Baby Comedy
7.30pm, Monday 15th November – Old Rope
7.30pm, Monday 29th November – Outside the Box Comedy Club
Line-ups subject to change.
