A line-up of a dozen very funny women will celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8 with Funny Women Stand Up, a comedy showcase in London, and launch the national search for the women who will be making us laugh for years to come. The event, which will raise funds for a host of good causes, is the first of fifty ‘Funny Women’ events in 2005 that will tickle audiences nationwide.
Top comics are now amongst the highest profile celebrities in the UK, but comedy is still dominated by men - something which prompted the Funny Women organisation to redress the balance.
Jo Caulfield, an award-winning comedian with her own comedy series on Radio 4 and who also writes for Graham Norton, is clear about what was needed: “Comedy is another job that has been traditionally done by men. It can be very daunting in the beginning and that’s why I think Funny Women has been so successful. Funny Women is a great platform for new female comics, actively encouraging and supporting women who want to get into comedy.”
In the last two years over 200 new female comics have been given the chance to perform and this year the 2005 Babycham Funny Women Awards have had to add extra events to cope with the increase in interest.
Jeremy Austin, news editor at entertainment trade paper, The Stage, has seen the Babycham Funny Women Awards grow: “Stand up is still dominated by male comics. Consequently women do not have the same opportunities as men when it comes to getting a foot on the ladder or honing their skills. That’s why the work undertaken by the Funny Women Awards organisers and the success they have so far achieved is absolutely vital to the industry.”
Steve Bennett, founder and editor of Chortle.co.uk the UK Comedy Guide and a judge for the Babycham Funny Women Awards for the last two years, agrees: “There’s an unfounded prejudice that somehow female comics aren’t as funny as men. It is, of course, nonsense - there’s a diverse variety of female acts, and the best are inventive, original and hilarious. Over the past couple of years, Funny Women has helped prove the point and, through its awards, nurture such talents. I’m certainly looking forward to finding out which new acts it uncovers this year.”
Most Recent Comments