Live At The Apollo star Laura Lexx headlines a virtual night of comedy for a fundraising event hosted by Warwickshire entrepreneurs next week.
The gig sees the return of charity stand-up events organised by the creatives behind Comedy at Work, comedians Anne Docherty from Kenilworth and Mark Hinds from Warwick, pictured below.
Helping to lay on the virtual laughs, on April Fool’s Day (Thursday, April 1st) will be four comedians who are rising stars on the UK comedy circuit.
Award-winning Laura Lexx, from Taunton, is best known for her TV comedy appearances including Live At The Apollo and Mock The Week. She also hit the headlines last year when she landed a book deal following a series of tweets imagining life with Liverpool FC manager Jurgen Klopp which went viral.
Yorkshireman Scott Bennet has won acclaim with comedy awards and has appeared on BBC Radio 4 as well as alongside the likes of Rob Brydon, Michael McIntyre and Helen Lederer.
New comedian of the Year at Leicester Square Theatre and Bath Comedy Festival in 2019, David Eagle is also an accomplished musician. The blind funnyman from Stockton instantly wins audiences over with his quip about having ‘dark humour.’
Overseeing the laughs will be Samantha Day, from Watford. The former accountant-turned stand-up comedian, reached the semi-finals of Jason Manford’s Best New Act 2020 just before lockdown as well as making it through to the semi-finals of the Best New Act at Bath Comedy Festival in 2019.
Proceeds from the virtual gig will support Birmingham-based charity Networkfour which, for the last 13 years, has worked to shine a light on the issues of poverty, hardship and lives negatively impacted by criminality.
Founder and Project Director Gary Wicker, said: “Networkfour has supported over 8,000 lives. We provide a safety-net for those in moments of great vulnerability.
“We work with over 500 vulnerable children, at risk young people, hard to reach adults and crisis families each year, many of whom face horrendous situations and circumstances.
“Every day our growing team and volunteers work to passionately care for and support the next client coming through our doors. We all count it as a privilege to share and carry their pain, dry their tears and, each day, bring that little bit of hope that things will get better in such dark and difficult times.”
He added: “Networkfour are really excited to work with the amazing Comedy at Work team. Their support to put on this fabulous online comedy event will help transform the lives of many hundreds of vulnerable children, at risk young people and crisis families throughout Birmingham and wider West Midlands.”
The 90-minute virtual gig, which is being supported by The Lodders Charitable Foundation, starts at 7.30pm on April 1st and is accessible via Zoom. Tickets cost £15, plus there are a limited number of ‘front-row’ tickets available at £25 enabling on-screen interaction with the comedians. They can be booked at: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/comedyatworkltd/495194
Lodders Charitable Foundation Chairman David Lodders says: “These are difficult times for many, in particular for charities that have seen a dip in donations and fundraising, alongside a growing need for their services and support from people and communities struggling more than ever in these unprecedented times.
“These are also challenging times for everyone, and the idea of a Virtual Comedy Night is an excellent event to bring some fun and laughter into people’s homes when we all need some light relief, whilst raising money for Network Four.
“To maximise the fundraising for the event, LCF has already donated £1500 to cover the costs to Network Four of putting on the event, so that it can make full use of every penny raised to support the charity’s incredible work in supporting young people, adults and families in crisis who are sadly facing issues of poverty, hardship and lives negatively impacted by criminality thanks to a dedicated team and volunteers who strive to help transform their circumstances.”
Anne Docherty, co-founder of Comedy at Work, said: “After a whole year of not performing at live comedy clubs, we are so delighted that both the comedians and the audiences are embracing and enjoying virtual events. The constant feedback we get, is how desperate people are to have a really, really good laugh.
“So why not just put a Netflix comedy on? That’s a possibility if you have anything left to watch! A live event, however, offers you a lively and interactive evening, plus we bring together a unique combination of different comedians, with different styles and different views on life.”
As well as bringing stand-up to venues across the country in support of local charities, Comedy at Work hosts a series of workshops for all ages, all with comedy and wellbeing at their heart – from school leavers and graduates support through to team building, corporate training and even wedding speech coaching.
During lockdown they successfully transitioned their workshops online but have already seen a huge demand for tickets for the first of their returning face to face comedy nights in village halls across the region.
Visit: https://www.comedyatwork.com/ for further information.
More information about the charity can be found at: https://www.networkfour.org.uk/
Further information about Lodders Charitable Foundation:
Law firm Lodders created the Lodders Charitable Foundation (LCF) in 2016 with the aim of raising vital financial support and providing help to local charities where it can make a genuine difference.
Network Four is one of four independent charities chosen as sole beneficiaries of LCF in 2021 and 2022.
To date, LCF has raised and donated more than £60,000 to independent charities, and in February donated £2000 to Network Four and each of the other three charities.
