Ticketed

Essential Information

Type Events and festivals
Location
Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre
Date and Times Saturday 3 February 2024 | 7pm - 9pm
Prices £20 Adults | £15 Students and Under 25s | £18 Members

Come behind the scenes of The Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre to see London’s hottest art-themed comedy night.

On Saturday 3 February Art Laughs will be taking over Royal Museums Greenwich's storage and conservation facility for a comedy bonanza!

Join comedians, art critics and artist/poets for a comedy guided tour through some of Royal Museums Greenwich's weird and wonderful objects within the nation’s largest maritime collection.

Alongside a chucklesome tour lead by the host Verity Babbs, visual artist and poet Joel Sydenham will be running a blackout poetry workshop with a bit of a twist. Unlike traditional blackout poetry workshops that often focus on serious themes, this session is designed to infuse humour into the creative process. Participants will engage in an interactive and laughter-filled exploration of language, turning ordinary texts into comedic masterpieces through the art of blackout poetry.

Enjoy improvised comedy in the paintings store – inspired by the nautical works in the collection and your suggestions – from three of the UK's best improvisers: Dom O'Keefe, Monica Gaga and Fuaad Coovadia.

End the night with art historian and critic Verity Babbs and comedians Dom O'Keefe, Monica Gaga and Fuaad Coovadia who will be having a panel discussion delving into the toys we have in our collection.

One drink will be included in the ticket price, and you will receive a token upon arrival to redeem your choice of drink.

This event is suitable for those aged 18+.

Meet the line up

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Verity Babbs

Verity Babbs is an art critic, comedian and presenter who created Art Laughs as a remedy to tedious art world earnestness. Art Laughs has performed at the Tate Britain, National Gallery, Royal Museums Greenwich, Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair, London Art Fair, and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

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Dom O'Keefe 

Dom is an improviser, writer and postgraduate researcher at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, where his research focuses on the representation of gender and humour in film. 

He was a founder of cult improv hit Shaken Not Stirred: The Improvised James Bond Film and he toured internationally with The English Lovers and The Oxford Imps, for who he directed two sell-out runs at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

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Monica Gaga 

Monica Gaga is a British-born black African queer host, improviser, facilitator, maker and performer. She has been performing and hosting for 11 years, improvising for 24 years and facilitating professionally for 16 years. A Comedy Store Players regular, she is the producer of HELL YEAH!, the femxle-centred queer improv collective.

She is a cast member of Do The Right Scene (named ‘theatre that thinks’ by Timeout), Broadway Baby five-star reviewed show Yes Queens and feminist duo Derek's Mojo. Trained at East 15 Acting School, Monica has worked professionally across England, Ireland, Scotland, Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Italy, Canada and beyond.

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Fuaad Coovadia 

Foo is an improviser with The Oxford Imps and a stand-up comedian who is known for pulling punches, speaking lies to power and cutting around the chase. His comedy is inspired by his South African roots, informed by his time performing in the Berlin stand-up scene and indebted to the many UK audiences who have had new material tested on them. Outside of comedy, he is completing his PhD at the University of Oxford.

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Joel Sydenham

Joel Sydenham is a self-taught visual artist and poet based in Brighton, with a passion for people and human development. He creates original works of art in the form of paintings, poems and illustrations based on factual and hypothetical concepts that celebrate the process of life. He also hosts a variety of workshops designed to encourage creativity and celebrate communities.

Event Information

Event timings

Doors open: 6:45pm

Event begins: 7pm

Interval: 8:15pm - 8:30pm

Event ends: 9pm

Getting here

The Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre is a quick, easy journey from central London by rail or via local bus services.

Address: The Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre, Nelson Mandela Way, Kidbrooke, SE3 9QS

By train: You can reach us from central London via direct routes from Cannon Street, London Bridge, Charing Cross and Victoria. Our nearest station is Kidbrooke which is only a 5 minute walk away.

By bus: The following buses stop near the Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre: 178, B16, 286, 132

By car: There is limited parking space in our car park but we will prioritise parking for visitors with disabilities. Please pre-book, otherwise we cannot guarantee a place. E-mail: ppmcc@rmg.co.uk

Getting to Royal Museums Greenwich

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