Birthday Girls Party Vibes show 2013 with Women in Comedy Festival crew.

This Friday I am off to see the marvellous Casio keyboard-wielding comedian David O’Doherty. I see a lot of comedy and I’m excited to be seeing his new show, having used my Edinburgh Festival trip strategically to see people I was unfamiliar with.

When I proposed my research area in August 2013 I was already seeing a lot of comedy. This has shifted up a notch over the last few years….since I can now without any qualms call it research. I’m also lucky enough to live in Manchester where the U.K’s Women in Comedy Festival takes place (more on this to come as it deserves more than a passing mention) so my opportunities to see hilarious women have never been greater.

I’m focusing on the live circuit in the U.K and so it’s important for me to see people at different stages of their career, in different venues and on both mixed-gender and women-only line-ups. Context is a vital (and sometimes neglected) factor when discussing comedy and much research falls into the trap of ‘content-only’ – boiling down comedy to words on a page devoid of the context of performance. I’ve been keeping track of all the comics I’ve seen in this time as this helps me form a better understanding of who is working in the context I am discussing.

My plan is to try and keep track of who I am seeing as part of this blog but I thought it might be useful to flag up who I’ve already seen in action. Some of these people I have seen multiple times, in multiple contexts too (from back rooms and basements and work-in-progress shows to arenas).

Note: Records began October 2013 and the following is in alphabetical order because I’ve put this info in a spreadsheet (of course I have)…….. I’ve been busy that’s all I’m saying.

Adrienne Truscott, Aisling Bea, Allyson June Smith, Amy Vreeke, Annette Fagon, Barbara Nice, Beth Vyse, Bethany Black, Birthday Girls (sketch), Bridget Christie, Caz ‘n’ Britney, Chella Quint, Comedy Sportz Manchester (improv), Dana Alexander, Danielle Ward, Daphna Barham, Debra Jane Appleby, Dotty Winters, Eleanor Conway, Ellie White, Felicity Ward, Flick and Julie (sketch), Grainne Maguire, Hannah Brackenbury, Harriet Dyer, Hawkeye and Windy, Hayley Ellis, Hayley-Jane Standing, Jana Kennedy, Janey Godley, Jen Carss, Jess Fostekew, Jessie Cave, Jo Caulfield, Jo Coffey, Jo Enright, Jo Neary, Josie Long, Kate Fox, Kate McCabe, Kate Smurthwaute, Katherine Ryan, Kerry Leigh, Kiri Pritchard-McLean, Lara A King, Lesley Kershaw, Lou Conran, Lou Sanders, Louise Reay, Lucy Beaumont, Luisa Omielan, Mae Martin, Maureen Younger, Miranda Hart, O’Shea and O’Gaukroger, Penella Mellor, Rose Johnson, Sara Pascoe, Sarah Franken, Sarah Millican, Shappi Khorsandi, Short and Girlie Show (Improv),  Sophie Hagen, Sophie Willan, Soula Notos, Susan Calman, Suzi Ruffel, Tanya Lee Davis, Tiff Stevenson, Tory Gillespie, Zoe Lyons……**

There are 71 people in that list – all funny in a myriad of different ways. No wonder it’s so hard to find women to go on all those panel shows. (rolls eyes)

**I’ve tried to add links either to a site or twitter feed if anyone wants to find out more.