Women in Comedy Festival 2019 – Scroll down for venue and ticket details
Thursday 3 October
Kiri Pritchard McLean – Work in Progress
Bar Pop
The multi- award winning comedian returns with her fourth full-length solo show. Previous shows have seen her tackle racism, sexism, child grooming and emotional abuse so what seemingly unfunny subject has she picked to turn into laughs this year? Chernobyl? The shrinking size of Creme Eggs? No, empathy. Which sounds fine actually, but maybe not the way Kiri tackles it…
Kiri thinks that we live in a time where empathy is seen as a weakness like asthma or being the first to pull away in a handshake. But why is that? Surely what we need in these divided times is more empathy so Kiri is off on a search to find a group of people who she struggles to empathise with, what could this mean...? Well, it means she’s spent the last year talking to non-offending paedophiles on the internet. Yup, her search history is a disaster.
So, come and see her make the impossible hilarious or possibly get arrested.
As seen on Have I Got News For You, 8 out of 10 Cats, Frankie Boyle’s New World Order.
"An impressive comic, making powerhouse stand-up from the thorniest of subjects." The Guardian
5 stars - The Independent
7pm & 8.30pm
£5
Launch Night Opening Party
Described as one of ‘the UK's best comedy festivals’ by The Skinny, Greater Manchester’s Women In Comedy Festival is Europe's only comedy festival dedicated to gender equality.
This opening event showcases the wealth of female comedic talent in the UK including performances from the superstar Stockport housewife - as seen on Britain’s Got Talent - Barbara Nice, the country’s only vegan, lesbian, transgender, goth - Bethany Black and the fantastically bombastic stylings of Brummie Annette Fagon.
“Get it booked, get on down,” is the recommendation from City Life.
TriBeCa
8pm
£15
Friday 4 October
Sadia Azmat and Nobby – Lost in Translation
Muslim comedian Sadia has found that in wearing a head scarf plenty of people have an opinion about it. So this is hers as she explores her father having two wives and her mother’s mental illness. She’s finally living a life of her own.
“Hilarious and insightful.” Christina Lamb, Sunday Times Journalist
“A very funny and promising new comedian.” Mark Lawson, BBC
Nobby is a Japanese comedian based in London. She’s been on a constant mission to fit in having moved from her native Japan first to sunny New Mexico, USA then, being young and naïve, she moved to England. Only to realise that the grass really does look greener on the other side, but there she eventually settled regardless. After having now lived in the city of cultural diversity for over twenty years, she's facing a serious dilemma - she still doesn't fit in!
TriBeCa
8pm
£6.50
Saturday 5 October
Beeshes
Five powerful yet sensitive women grappling with the pressures and joys of their special ‘gifts’. A magical journey through musical theatre, being Welsh, birth and death and having a nice sit down with a soothing cup of ‘f**k it’ tea.
TriBeCa
1.45pm
£7 (£5 conc)
Sasha Ellen Offends the Ancestors (Work in Progress)
Sasha struggles to explain her life choices at the best of times but especially to the matriarch of her clan, her ball-busting, lived-through-the-war-and-can’t-wait-for-the-next-one Gran. Sasha has tried and failed to follow in the footsteps of her great matriarch – from giving blood to forcing modern men to write her poetry. It’s not easy being a Millennial or explaining to said Gran that turkey ham isn’t vegetarian.
A storytelling, stand-up show about how the more things change, the more they stay the same.
Praise for previous show, Pickle -
“Honest, hilarious and horrifying... the comedy future looks good for Ellen.” Canal St
"Genuinely engaging show." Broadway Baby
TriBeCa
3pm
Pay What You Want on the Night
Susan Murray – How Not To Die in A Plane Crash
Fasten your seat belts for a darkly hilarious and deliciously bumpy ride. How Not to Die in a Plane Crash is the antidote to boring, life-affirming, feel-good motivational comedy. Come and listen to Susan's sweet dark soul as she makes you laugh and cry at the same time with her useful death defying survival tips, all wrapped up in fantastic jokes. Come and have a listen if you think you're brave enough.
“What a delightfully warm, funny, fascinating hour. I’m still terrified of flying but that made it all the better.” Mark Steel
“I learned things in this show, fascinating things, and I laughed. Excellent, job done! A confident performer, with masses of stage presence... her treatment of the material, the structure and the performance combine to make this a great hour.” One4Review – 4 stars
“Thoroughly entertaining – and scarily informative – from take off to landing.” Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke – 4 stars
TriBeCa
4pm
£8
Laura Monmoth – Trans Vision Scamp
An hour of charming, silly, multimedia nonsense. A tale of improving our own personal reality through friendly trolling, obsession, illness and Star Wars. And karaoke, obviously. An hour of charming – yet quite frankly silly – multimedia nonsense.
Best Show Winner, Morecambe Comedy Festival.
Breaking Talent Award-winner, 2018 Birmingham Comedy Festival.
"A zany mixture of projection, interaction, subversion and nerd culture, Laura blew the audience away... " What's On
TriBeCa
5.30pm
£5
Sasha Ellen – Pickle
From disastrous dates to ruining weddings and causing whole islands to go into a state of emergency – Ellen chalks it up to being a bit of a pickle. A storytelling stand up show about romantic misadventures on an epic scale.
“Honest, hilarious and horrifying... the comedy future looks good for Ellen.” Canal St
"Genuinely engaging show." Broadway Baby
TriBeCa
7pm
£5
Sian Davies – About Time (Work in Progress)
Growing up is hard but most people manage it. Sian waited until she was 27 to grow up. Everyone agreed it was about time.
About Time is the story of Sian's austerity sponsored gap year and her journey as a working class traveller in an unfamiliar world. From the Taj Mahal to the local Tesco, this overgrown kid has seen it all. She's been there, done that and got the T-shirt to prove it. Along the way, much to everyone's relief, she finally manages to grow up.
Join Sian on this extraordinary journey as she shares the truth about what really happened on her gap year.
“Sharp and focused... fantastic ability as a comedian.” Backstage on the Fringe – 4 stars
“Warm hearted and engaging comedy.” Deadline News – 4 stars
“Perfect timing and audience engagement. A confident performer with an appetite for politics and challenging the status quo” - Funny Women.
TriBeCa
8.30pm
£5
Sunday 6 October
All Killa No Filla - Kiri Pritchard McLean and Rachel Fairburn
Fresh from a highly successful US tour, Kiri and Rachel bring the live show of their hugely popular serial killer obsessed podcast to the festival. The pair promise to talk all things murder and macabre while having a right laugh doing it.
The tour is entirely sold out at present but you could always kill for a ticket. No don’t really…!
Frog and Bucket
2pm & 6pm
Currently sold out.
Beeshes
Five powerful yet sensitive women grappling with the pressures and joys of their special ‘gifts’. A magical journey through musical theatre, being Welsh, birth and death and having a nice sit down with a soothing cup of ‘f**k it’ tea.
TriBeCa
4.30pm
£7 (£5 conc)
Desiree Burch – Desiree’s Coming Early
Have you ever been caught in a loop? Like, how many times do we have to try and fix this trash only to have to fix it again? Desiree generally has difficulty in the present moment. At a point in history where decades of societal progress have swung right back around to authoritarianism and regression Desiree embarks on a spiritual journey into the Black Rock Desert of Nevada to figure out how we fix the suckiness.
Have you ever been caught in a loop?
OMG, seriously.
Have you ever been caught in a loop?
“A masterpiece of an hour.” Fest – 5 stars
“This is the latest offering from Desiree Burch, a comedian and storyteller exuding vast quantities of that rare multi-purpose quality of immense comedic ability, coupled with thought-provoking political vision.” Edinburgh Festivals – 5 stars
The Bread Shed
8.30pm
£12
Rachel Creeger – Hinanyni!
Hinanyni is a biblical word meaning ‘behold, here I am!’ It’s also the way that Rachel and her classmates were taught to respond to the register. An intense statement for a six year old!
Rachel, the only orthodox Jewish woman on the stand up circuit, considers how others view her, her innate imposter syndrome and how she must accept her true self.
Rachel’s carefully crafted material is as powerful as it is entertaining.
“Her aptly titled show, Hinayni - 'Here I am' - lives up to the name; Creeger is here and a star to behold.” Jewish Chronicle - 4 stars
“A confident and charismatic performer.” Funny Women – 4 stars
"Tight writing, sharp performance and a beautifully zany imagination." The Brighton Source
TriBeCa
7pm
£5
Jen Kirkman – Jen X
Frog and Bucket
American stand up Kirkman presents her musings on middle age and wanting to bridge the gap between Millennials and Generation Xers and ponders whether she should start smoking again.
Her Netflix original comedy special I’m Gonna Die Alone (And I Feel Fine) special was voted one of the top 10 comedy specials of 2015 by Time Out New York Magazine and The Altlantic. She has two memoirs to her name and is one of the writers on the acclaimed The Amazing Mrs Maisel.
“Though delivered in an effortless conversational style, her comedy has the meticulous detail that can come only from repetition and experience.” New York Times
9pm
£15
Monday 7 October
Maddie Campion – Catch
After dipping her comedic toe in the humour waters Catch is the much anticipated debut stand up hour from the local girl from Stretford and Future Pride of Britain (circa 2027…).
Included in the top ten up and coming comedians to check out at the Fringe by The National Student this year.
As heard on BBC Radio 4xtra and seen on BBC3.
“Very inventive and dry writer.” Funny Women – 4 stars
TriBeCa
7pm
Harriet Dyer – Mentally Fine (Work In Progress)
Comedian, mental health advocate and the curator and host of the award winning mental health safe space comedy night Barking Tales, Harriet presents a brand new work in progress show.
After a successful Edinburgh Fringe, Harriet begins work on the next project promising a load of tried and tested stuff about mental health along with a bit of guff! Come, let her new stuff percolate you in warmth.
“Dyer exists in joyful equilibrium, at the point where self-deprecation and an embracement of oddness meet in utterly likeable harmony. Beautifully, brilliantly weird.” Broadway Baby
“If you want is a hilarious show, performed by an exquisitely expressive comedian, with an ease of making even the darkest moments in her mental health history funny, then Harriet Dyer is definitely your person!” Funny Women – 4 stars
TriBeCa
8.30pm
£4
Tuesday 8 October
Funny Women Awards Showcase
Funny Women was created in 2002 by Lynne Parker to help women find their voice through writing and performing as well as using humour in business and everyday life. The Funny Women Awards launched in 2003 and many of the winners, finalists and contenders are now household names such as Sarah Millican, Katherine Ryan, Andi Osho and Bridget Christie.
A showcase of the fabulous acts who reached this year’s final in September.
Frog and Bucket
7.30pm
£12 (£10 conc)
Wednesday 9 October
Funny Women’s Time of the Month
Funny Women was created in 2002 by Lynne Parker to help women find their voice through writing and performing as well as using humour in business and everyday life. The Funny Women Awards launched in 2003 and many of the winners, finalists and contenders are now household names such as Sarah Millican, Katherine Ryan, Andi Osho and Bridget Christie.
This event encourages acts to showcase new material in front of a warm and supportive audience.
TriBeCa
8.30pm
Rachel Fairburn – People’s Princess
Described by some losers as obnoxious, rude and contrary, however Rachel thinks she’s absolutely adorable and the natural choice for the dormant title of People’s Princess.
Manchester born and bred, Rachel returns to her native city after a successful run of shows at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. She’s also at WICF as one half of the hugely successful All Killa No Filla Podcast with Kiri Pritchard McLean as they obsess about serial killers.
“If the title of People’s Princess is up for grabs, then I think Fairburn should be in the running.” Funny Women – 4 stars
“A relate-able and crowd pleasing hour, from a comic at the top of her game.” Young Perspective – 4 stars
Frog and Bucket
7.30pm
£7 (£5 conc)
Thursday 10 October
Kath Marvelley – Aussie Wildlife Whisperer
Growing up with green parents who are birdwatchers, Kath is true blue about Australian nature. Wildlife Whisperer celebrates all the gorgeous animals you can find in Australia like kangaroos, koalas and… spiders! Find out about her special house guests and her thoughts on UK wildlife and adapting to winter (bbrrr).
Performing with an irreverent ‘G’day’ and an Ozzie accent, what’s not to love? Come along possums!
"Kath is emerging as one of the more loveable comics, happy.”
“Gets all her material from me.” - Her Grandma
“Could be a three time Montreal Comedy Festival Winner.” - Her housemate
TriBeCa
7pm
£3 advance or Pay What You Want.
Laughing Calves
Hazel O’Keefe created Laughing Cows comedy nights in 1998 after a male promoter made the mistake of telling her he wouldn’t ‘take the risk’ of putting more than one woman on the bill. The stand up night of all female professional acts runs on a regular basis but it also birthed Laughing Calves, a chance for new acts identifying as female to try their hand at stand up.
Ably compered by American act based in Manchester comic Kate McCabe.
TriBeCa
8pm
£2
Friday 11 October
Jojo Sutherland – Riches to Rags
Sutherland has often spoken about growing up in a castle with no money, yet always having caviar in the fridge, as well as her subsequent experiences – having her house repossessed, having brain haemorrhage and marrying her brother-in-law.
But what was the major life altering, heart-wrenching event that’s been the most emotional, and unimaginable game-changer in the last five years of her life?
“You need to go and see this show. You need to hear what she has to say.” Kate Copstick, Scotsman - 4 stars
“Jojo has expertly crafted an hour of comedy that is as dark as it is uplifting.” Scotsgay - 5 stars
“This show precipitates her to stardom.” Edinburgh Reporter - 5 stars
TriBeCa
8pm
£10
Thanyia Moore – Bully
It’s a common thread to hear about how someone was bullied. Well Thanyia talks about what it was like to be the bully and how it has affected her adult life.
Affectionately known as one of the hardest working comedians in comedy, Thanyia is the only female stand up to work both the mainstream and black comedy circuits simultaneously.
Funny Women Award winner 2017 and semi-finalist in the BBC New Comedy Award 2018.
As heard on Channel 4, BBC Radio London and Talk Radio, and seen as an actor on Jamie Johnson (CBBC), Pure (Channel 4) and BBC Quickies.
TriBeCa
8pm
Pay What You Want
Saturday 12 October
Celia Byrne – A Glimpse of Gingham – A Tribute to John Denver
A one woman show that is a unique blend of music, humour and expressive dance. Celia performs the songs of John Denver including Annie’s Song and Leaving on a Jet Plane and recalls her struggle to remain a loyal fan in the face of hostility from punks and derision from the NME.
A veteran of the London theatre and music circuit, most recently her one woman show delighted audiences at the 2019 Camden Fringe. A Time Out and Funny Women Awards nominee.
TriBeCa
1.20pm
£5
Kathryn Mather – Always Angry (Work in Progress)
The Frog and Bucket’s World Series annual competition victor, Mather has a deliciously dark sense of humour.
This work in progress show is surprisingly positive and un-angry show by the award-winning comedian about loss, misphonia and carpentry. Have you ever been annoyed by a kid kicking the back of your seat in the cinema? Then this is the show for you.
“Kathryn is one of those new comedians that makes you want to quit she’s so prodigious. She’s a brilliant and unique voice.” Kiri Pritchard-McLean
TriBeCa
2.45pm
£3
Gaby Killick – Girlfriend From Hell – The Bitch Is Back
The sequel to her Edinburgh Festival Fringe show Girlfriend From Hell, Gaby offers a new series of life hacks on today’s dating and partying scene.
A unique insight into the mind-set of today’s girls about town, offering useful advice on everything from how to end your love affair with Chardonnay to how to handle an anxious app threatened with deletion.
Plus there’s guidance on the best flirty filters to use when you want your ex’s new girlfriend to clock how good you look and top tips on how to walk when you've taken too much ketamine. Remember it’s never too early to start stalking your boyfriend...
*Top 10 Show* Edinburgh Evening News
Birmingham Best Newcomer
“Make sure you catch Gabby’ show, oozing stage presence, she is one to watch!” – Edinburgh Festivals
Frog and Bucket
5pm
£7
Amy Gledhill - Work in Progress
Join Gledhill as she joyfully gallops through her unique blend of confessional stories, intelligent observations and ridiculous and off-beat daftness all bound up in her playful energy.
This is a work in progress of a show, which aims to be ready the following year, make of that what you will…
Gledhill was the winner of the inaugural BBC Caroline Aherne Bursary 2019, tour support for Sofie Hagen and Jen Brister and is one half of cult double act The Delightful Sausage.
“Commands the stage.” Funny Women
“One to watch.” The Evening Standard.
TriBeCa
5.30pm
£3 adv / £5 on the door
Lindsey Davies and Dawn Rigby - Gin and Comic
Lindsey Davies and Dawn Rigby are north west based comedians and their love of comedy and gin has birthed their successful solo show, Gin and Comic.
The show has been performed in various towns and cities with sell-out venues and re-bookings. Why? It’s a mixture of comedy, audience participation, gin games and more importantly, gin prizes for a few lucky drinkers! Each audience member receives a free raffle ticket to have a chance of winning a bottle of… gin!
Lindsey Davies - "Took to the stage like a veteran. Left 1500 bikers in hysterics and baying for more." Smacked Arse Comedy
TriBeCa
7pm
£5
Charlie George and Jennie Falconer – Charles & Jen
Charles aka Charlie George is fresh from BBC Asian Network Comedy Live, is a Pride's Got Talent finalist, Leicester Square New comedian award finalist and an LGBTQ new comedian of the year award winner 2019.
Jen aka Jennie is a writer and performer who co-hosts Crack Up Comedy Cabaret with Charlie, a comedy night in aid of a mental health charity Core Arts at The Glory. Together they are dynamic duo 'Charles & Jen' and their self-titled split bill show is about two very funny grrls/women attempting navigate themselves and the modern world as total queerdos.
"Charlie George and Jennie Falconer make you want to put them in your pocket and take them away with you. They are as warm and gooey as a treacle tart, but they will make you laugh like a hyena!" - Diva Magazine.
TriBeCa
8pm
£6
Sunday 13 October
Pauline Eyre – Buffering
Buffering. When you’re waiting for life to load.
Pauline's life revolves around caring for her kids and her elderly mum. When everything changes and nobody needs her any more, will there be any Pauline left? A debut hour from a comedian in the midst of a midlife crisis.
Fresh from a sell-out run at the Edinburgh Fringe, the show was described by described by audiences as –
"Beautifully crafted stand-up comedy."
"Really honest and funny. Can’t recommend it highly enough!" and
"I laughed throughout & yet I came out with my pelvic floor stronger than ever. That is the magic of @buffering2019"
TriBeCa
3pm
£5
Zahra Barri’s Special
They say the truth hurts but it also sets you free - 'radical honesty asserts that lying leads to stress and speaking bluntly even about the taboo creates happier people.'
But Zahra has her foot in her mouth so often, her breath tastes of the trifle that Rachel made in Friends. You know the one where she accidentally makes half a shepherd's pie and half an English trifle and Ross tells Joey, “it tastes like feet”?
In this incredibly honest (and funny) show, Zahra reveals everything; because George Carlin said that “comedy is truth” and didn't Keats say “truth is beauty”? Or was that Phoebe from Friends?
As seen on BBC1 Player.
"A buzzy fluffball of comedy unafraid to take risks, like a cute lhasapoo puppy with a surprising snarl." Mumble Comedy – 4 stars
TriBeCa
4pm
£5
Pernilla Holland (Work in Progress)
"...now that the niceties are over, let´s talk about who you fucked last night."
A guide through the galaxy of a woman in her 30s as she embarks on a life with friends, sex, love and dating a 22 year old. Here are opinions, anecdotes and savvy observations from a woman on the verge of success as she delves deep into society’s expectations and tells it to fuck off! Absurd and silly, or to quote John Kearns "very stupid". Charming and ruthless, come see what a descendant of the Vikings, i.e. Norway´s funniest lady, Pernilla Holland has conjured up in this exceptional stand up show about what she is up to and why that's relevant.
"Hilarious." Time Out
TriBeCa
5.30pm
£5
Allyson June Smith – The Self Confidence Trick… (A Work In Progress)
Confidence is defined as ‘the feeling or belief that one can have faith in or rely on someone or something’. Sounds simple enough… but put the word “self” in front of the word and that’s when it gets tricky.
Smith has taken her Canadian charm around the world and made people laugh. She is a triple nominee for a Canadian comedy award, and even has her own hour-long Canadian TV comedy special. She performs regularly at all the top comedy clubs across the UK and has opened for TV favourites Katherine Ryan, Stewart Francis and Jason Manford.
“Asking Allyson Smith to support me on tour was a huge mistake. Not only were her nails and hair shinier then my own, but she had crowds in every city in such fits of hysterics that I was forced to question my career choices.” Katherine Ryan
“She’s yet another hilarious Canadian with great hair.” Stewart Francis
“Allyson June Smith is simply one of the funniest comedians I’ve ever worked with. Can play any crowd and always has them laughing their heads off. She’s a huge star.” Jason Manford
All this and still she struggles with her own self confidence. Smith takes this hour to figure out the self confidence trick. Quite simply put this is a show about coming of age before you’re middle aged…. Or after you’re middle aged…. Or at any time in your life.
TriBeCa
7pm
£5
Notflix
Five-star sellout show Edinburgh Fringe 2017-2018 and VAULT Festival 2017-2019.
Netflix combines the taste profiles of 98 million users to create a perfectly ideal viewing experience…
Notflix combines the taste profiles of a room full of theatre goers to create a brilliantly hilarious and completely improvised viewing experience – a full musical.
The all-female cast of ‘Notflix’ (otherwise known as Waiting For The Call improv group) use audience suggestions of recently watched films to create a brand new, fully improvised, one-night-only musical inspired by one audience member’s idea and explanation. Every show is different but what remains is the same joyous, musical celebration of everything you wish a movie could be.
Because everything is better as a musical!
Featured in The Sunday Times, Marie Claire and Elle Magazines. Funny Women and Musical Comedy Awards nominees.
“Roaringly funny and incredibly talented.”Broadway Baby - 5 stars
“Professional, fun and effortlessly funny.” The Observer – 4 stars
“Surprising, spontaneous and delightful.”Fringe Biscuit - 4 stars
Frog and Bucket
8pm
£12 (£10 conc)
Wrap Party
The Women in Comedy Festival will wrap up the celebrations with one last party. Not so much a comedy night as a good old knees up with some awards thrown in. With Brummie comic Jo Enright at the helm you can guarantee there will be laughs aplenty.
TriBeCa
9pm
The Bread Shed – 126 Grosvenor Street, Manchester M1 7HL.
Frog and Bucket Comedy Club – 102 Oldham Street, Manchester M4 1LJ.
TriBeCa – 50 Sackville Street, Manchester M1 3WF.
Bar Pop – 10 Canal Street, Manchester M1 3EZ.
Tickets available from:
