Arts group They Are Here will teach stand-up comedy to migrant workers
A showcase of stand-up comedy performed by migrant workers will be the focus of a new exhibition opening in London this week.
As part of Laughing Matter, an upcoming show and performance series, art collective They Are Here have been offering free stand-up comedy workshops to individuals who identify as “living precariously”.
Working with stand up comedian Logan Murray and London-based community groups, the workshops will culminate in ROUTINE, two evenings of stand-up comedy on June 2 and 3 at Studio Voltaire.
The line-up will feature a diverse group of newcomers, including a sex-worker, a Deliveroo courier, and a rat-catcher.
They Are Here has worked with the likes Indoamerican Refugee and Migrant Organisation (IRMO), Migrants Organise, The Independent Workers Union, the Latin American Women’s Rights Service and X–Talk to find participants for the workshops.
The pop-up comedy club will be performed amid the ongoing exhibition, which will feature sculptural, text and sound works also using comedy as a communicative tool.
Further artworks in the show include a sculpture inspired by a quote from a 1999 episode of The Simpsons, and a sound installation featuring “canned laughter” recorded from individuals currently in challenging life circumstances.
They Are Here: Laughing Matter runs from May 24 - June 10 at Studio Voltaire. For more information visit studiovoltaire.org
