NOVEMBER | BIGGER PICTURE
Keeping it real
What : Greenwich Comedy Festival Where : National Maritime Museum When : 23 – 27 September
57 Festivals successfully pressed ahead with its annual Greenwich Comedy Festival , making the most of the venue ’ s extensive footprint to maintain the usual audience capacity . While the 1,500 per show audience size was the same as in previous years , the usual vast tent covering was absent and spectators were spread out on chairs across the Museum ’ s lawn . Multiple entrances , one-way systems , and an in-seat food and beverage ordering system made sure social distancing was easily maintained throughout the event . With a line-up of comedians including Bill Bailey , Sara Pascoe , Alan Davies and Dara O ’ Brian across the event ’ s seven shows , tickets sold out faster than ever despite the necessary , and well-advertised , Covid-19 measures . Greenwich Comedy Festival has been produced by 57 Festivals since 2009 . Run by directors Will Briggs , Cass Randolph and Nick Tearle , the company also operates the Bristol Comedy Garden and Brighton Comedy Garden events . Randolph says the trio were “ ridiculously pleased ” they managed to stage the event this year and are particularly grateful to the hugely supportive teams at the venue and local council . “ I ’ m just very proud that we managed to do it , keep our promises and pay people . There were lots of issues raised along the way , not least the risk of bad weather , but we kept pressing on and believing in it ,” she says . Briggs says that in ‘ normal ’ times he would have expected some reluctance to being sat outside but the audience reacted very positively to the new set-up : “ People were clearly very happy to be able to come to an event . A comment I have heard a lot is that it was a very cathartic and uplifting experience .”
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Photography : Carolina Faruolo
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