Access Festival of online comedy returns

Curated by Mark Watson

Mark Watson is curating a second Access Festival of online gigs, via streaming platform NextUp.

A total of 14 live shows will air across the week, starting on Monday, featuring the likes of Colin Hoult, Lost Voice Guy, Angela Barnes, Sarah Keyworth, David O'Doherty and Daliso Chaponda.

Watson – a winner of one of Chortle’s Legend of Lockdown awards for his online work during the pandemic – said: ‘We began Access last year for a couple of reasons. One was to bring live comedy into the homes of people who might have a hard time getting to venues.

‘Another was to celebrate online comedy as a genre in itself, one of the few positive legacies of the lockdown years. I was very proud of the response and it’s great to be involved again in a spectacular week of entertainment, presented at an extremely low cost and in your living room (NB you are free to watch it in other rooms also).'

The shows will be streamed on the NextUp platform, with the ability for members to join a virtual room and interact with the performers. Also this year, all of the streams will be live-captioned.

Tom Brandt, head of content at NextUp, said: ‘Since NextUp first began hosting online shows and experimenting with what this new "online" thing could be, the variety and sheer level of creativity has blown us away.

‘Last year we were excited and enthused by the reaction to the first Access fest, with more than 600,000 minutes watched by comedy lovers who couldn’t get to as many gigs as they’d have liked to.

‘We believe we’re witnessing the emergence of a new form of comedy that can only supplement, promote and enhance the art form as a whole. Access Festival is the perfect vehicle to connect all of that with audiences across the UK (and the world!), and we’re excited to be working with Mark and [his production company] Impatient to make this a reality.’

NextUp annual memberships cost £35 and included access to the entire festival as well as NextUp’s catalogues of specials and regular live-streamed comedy shows. Click here to sign up.

Here is the full schedule of events.

Monday January 22, 5pm: Will Rowland & Eddy Hare (double headliner)
Monday January 22, 6.30pm: Sarah Keyworth
Monday January 22, 8pm: Mark Watson's Mixed Bill at Monkey Barrel, Edinburgh
Tuesday January 23, 7pm: Stuart Laws
Tuesday January 23, 9pm: David O'Doherty
Wedne sday January 24, 7pm: Lost Voice Guy
Wednesday January 24, 9pm: Colin Hoult
Thursday January 25, 7pm: Daliso Chaponda
Thursday January 25, 9pm: Thanyia Moore
Friday January 26, 7pm: Lily Phillips
Friday January 26, 9pm: Angela Barnes
Saturday January 27, 7pm: Will Owen
Sunday January 28, 5pm: Joe Wells
Sunday January 28, 7pm: Pete Heat
Sunday January 28, 9pm: Mark Watson