Comedians Robin Ince and Josie Long will keep those self-isolating entertained with a new daily festival to be streamed online.
Theatres and gig venues may have closed their doors but Stay at Home Festival will provide the country with some much-needed laughter, whilst helping performers continue to earn a living whilst in isolation.
The shows, starting today, will see Ince and Long joined in conversation by familiar names such as Russell Kane, Jo Brand, Sara Pascoe and Stewart Lee.
The guests will stream from their own homes.
Viewers will able to get involved by asking questions to the hosts and guests on Twitter during the show.
Robin Ince, best known for presenting the BBC radio show The Infinite Monkey Cage with physicist Brian Cox, said: “It is stating the obvious to say that strange days have got a hell of a lot stranger with many people facing confusion and anxiety during this COVID-19 pandemic.
“Artists have nowhere to play and audiences have nowhere to go to to be distracted.”
The shows are free to watch but viewers are encouraged to tip, with proceeds going directly to the “acts and artists who have been hit hardest by having their livelihood taken away.”
ANNOUNCING the #StayatHomeFestival from The Cosmic Shambles Network. DAILY live morning shows with comedy, science, music, chat & more hosted by @robinince & @JosieLong with an AMAZING lineup of special guests. All the details are at https://t.co/jKZidzLDOM 1/5
— The Cosmic Shambles Network (@cosmicshambles) March 18, 2020
The festival is one of several virtual events lined up as artists find ways to perform whilst in isolation.
Ince added: “It’s harder to ‘only connect’ when we are all needing to be at home, but hopefully this will go some way to bringing some happiness and helping out artists too.”
The initial schedule includes:
Thursday March 19 – 8:30pm – Book Shambles with Robin Ince, Josie Long and Trent Burton.
Saturday March 21 – 3:00pm – Science Shambles with Robin Ince, Dr Helen Czerski, Miranda Lowe and Matt Watson.
Sunday March 22 – 9:00pm – The Stay at Home Comedy Club with Josie Long, John Luke Roberts, Tiernan Douieb and more.
Monday March 23 – 10:00am – The Stay at Home Show with Robin Ince, Josie Long, Mark Gatiss, Grace Petrie, George Egg.
Tuesday March 24 – 10:00am – The Stay at Home Show with Robin Ince, Josie Long, Professor Brian Cox, Bec Hill, David McAlmont.
Wednesday March 25 – 10:00am – The Stay at Home Show with Robin Ince, Josie Long, Jo Brand and more.
Thursday March 26 – 10:00am – The Stay at Home Show with Robin Ince, Josie Long, Sara Pascoe, Natalie Haynes and Ben Norris.
Thursday March 26 – 6:00pm – The Stay at Home Show Evening Show with Robin Ince, Josie Long and Chris Hadfield.
Monday March 30 – 10:00am – The Stay at Home Show Show with Robin Ince, Josie Long, Philippa Perry, Gecko and Howard Read.
Wednesday April 1 – 10:00am – The Stay at Home Show Evening Show with Robin Ince, Josie Long, Luke Wright and Laura Kidd.
Links to watch the shows will appear at www.cosmicshambles.com/stayathome one hour before the show is scheduled to start.
