With the difficult times we are facing at the moment, it is the perfect time to try something new whilst you are forced to stay indoors and over the next couple of weeks we are interviewing acts that are putting on everything from projects to lessons. Today, we are talking to the Manchester team ComedySportz who are holding a lot of different shows online.

Hello there tell us a little bit about yourself!

ComedySportz is an all improvised competitive comedy show that sees two teams go head to head with quick-witted gags and games. It’s totally family friendly and loads of fun.

Tell us all about the project that you are bringing to the online world at the moment?

Venues may be closed but we just knew the show had to go on…line! We’re doing weekly shows and workshops to keep people laughing on lockdown.

What times does it run throughout the day?

We’re currently doing 3 shows a week: Wednesdays 7pm, Fridays 12.30pm and Saturdays 7pm (All BST/GMT). Saturdays have become international fixtures as ComedySportz Manchester takes on other ComedySportz teams from around the world!

How much does it cost , what platform etc?

Shows stream through our youtube channel (youtube.com/cszuk) so be sure to subscribe to never miss a show. We also post the streams on our facebook page – but if you want to give suggestions and vote on the winners you’ll have to join in on the youtube chat.

Shows are free to watch but there are a couple of ways to support players if you’d like to (and can afford to). You can donate at

www.comedysportz.co.uk/virtualor you can take part in our T-Shirt campaign and bag yourself some swag www.mercht.com/c/cszuk

Drop-Ins cost just £5. You can book via our website (www.comedysportz.co.uk/digital-drop-ins/) and the classes will be held on Zoom.

How was the project formed?

All the ComedySportz teams around the world got together very quickly and responded to the situation with a real “Yes, And” attitude. It’s ironic really that being isolated has brought ComedySportz Worldwide closer than ever! There’s been a fair bit of trial and error, some improv games translate really well to the online stage and some really don’t – we’re still figuring out how to do musical games!

How has it been going so far?

It’s been really fun and audiences have been lovely. In another ironic twist, we’ve been busier than ever with nearly 30 online shows under our belt at this point. It’s been lovely to connect with fans who have watched from all over the world from Chorley to Brazil!

Performing online is a very tricky beast because everything you say is like Schrödingers joke – you have no idea if the audience loved it or if it died. Luckily the audience have really engaged with the online chat. Someone typing “lol” isn’t quite the same as hearing real live laughter but we’ll take it for now.

Workshops have also been really fun with people not only eager to keep their improv skills honed but also to just connect with friends, play, be silly and forget the world is ending for a couple of hours. We think it’s important to stay connected and playful. We think our players have enjoyed having something to do as well!

With everything happening in the world at the moment, why is it so important to have activities like yours available?

We’ve all struggled mentally the last few months with various challenges and worries. The comedy world has responded brilliantly because people need a laugh now more than ever. Our shows are also family friendly so it’s good to have content out there that can keep the whole family entertained and distracted.

What can people expect over the next few weeks from your project?

More all action, all improvised competitive comedy. And an impressive array of wacky zoom backgrounds.

If people want to find out more about you on social media where shall they visit?

They can find us on twitter (@ComedySportz_UK), facebook (facebook.com/cszmanchesteruk) and instagram (instagram.com/cszmanchester).

Finally why should people get involved?

It’s fun, it’s fast and it’s family friendly. We mean, it’s not like anyone is going out anytime soon are they?