From care work to shelf-stacking, many standups have taken up jobs to survive lockdown – highlighting how privilege has created a two-tier system in comedy
On 16 March, when Boris Johnson advised people to avoid pubs and theatres, the effect on live comedy was instant. “That night was like Take Me Out when all the lights go off, but with my diary,” says standup Lauren Pattison. “The first month of work went in the space of a couple of days.”
In 2017, Pattison finally became a full-time comedian after years of working in restaurants, shops and bars to support her standup career. Soon after, she was nominated for best newcomer at the Edinburgh Comedy awards. Now, she’s working in a supermarket. Pattison had moved back to Newcastle upon Tyne a few weeks before lockdown to save money for the Edinburgh fringe while living with her parents. Like many standups, she relies on live comedy for the bulk of her income, gigging most nights of the week. Some gigs are rescheduled for later this year, but, says Pattison, “I’ve got to mentally and financially prepare for the fact they might get pulled.”
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