Our regular readers will have noticed that we recently published news of a special fundraiser gig in London to raise much needed funds for use by the Red Cross in aiding the people of Bam after the recent Iranian earthquake.  The show takes place on 2nd February at 8:15pm at The Mac Bar in Camden.  Entry is free but punters will be asked to make a donation for the appeal.

Funny.co.uk caught up with the show's organiser Patrick Monahan to ask him about the event:

Being half Iranian yourself, how did you feel when you first heard about the Earthquake in Bam?

Patrick - Like most people I didn't realise the massive extent of the earthquake - then as news started to flood in with a death toll of around 30,000 and a possible 100,000 left homeless in freezing conditions. I, like anyone, felt shocked by the whole event! Even though my mother and her side fo the family come from Ahvaz in the West side of Iran, I knew people and friends of friends who lost family in the tragic accident! One person had about 150 members of there extended family in that single night!

...and this inspired you to host a fundraising event? What is the evening about and what would you like the night to achieve?

Patrick - The event is basically to raise money for the red cross who are over there helping the poeple of Bam who have been left homeless, injured or traumatised from the disater. We know, realistically, the money raised from the night will not make a huge difference to relief funds on it's own, but we're hoping that as well as the money raised we can also raise awareness of the extent of the disater. Now a month on from the tragic event people are still in major strife, yet there is little or no press coverage about it anymore. So by doing this show  hopefully it will keep the tradgey fresh in peoples minds, who if not able to come to the show  will in the near future still donate to the Red Cross and other related fund raising events.

How did you go about organising the event in such a short space of time?

Patrick - Well to be honest it has taken quite a bit of time and organising to do, but most of which has come from volunteers to the project - like Jo Furlong (promoter of a comedy club in Cranford) who has helped organise and publise the event. Angie Poyton (comic also appearing on the night) who designed the website for the fund raising event, Nat Combs (comic also on night) who kindly got the venue to run the night in, and obviuosly all the acts who are turning up to perform for no money, donating their wages on the night for the gig (I have to point out they had no choice in the matter!).

Which acts have confirmed for the event so far?

Patrick - So far we have about 10 acts - a bit more than we planned for and on the night we're likely to get more dropping in! Most of the acts are based on the London circuit but have roots from all over Great Britain and the rest of the world, as the lineup shows:

Shazia Mirzia - muslim stand up from birmingham parents from Pakistan
Sabrina George - parents from Canada
Steve Williams - parents from walses
Al Pitcher - parents from Crocodile Dundee (town near austrailia)
Jarred Chrsitmas - parents from New Zealand
Mary Bourke - parents form Ireland
Glen Maney - parents from Isle of wight
Nat combs - parents from england
Angie Poyton - parents form Northwest england
Mc Patrick Monahan - irish/iranian/middlesbroro

More details about the show can be found at the official website at http://www.iranearthquakecomedynight.co.uk/