Funny Women founder Lynne Parker was invited to speak in March this year at the annual Women in Comedy Festival in Boston, Massachusetts USA about ‘How the Brits Do It,’ how to forge a career in comedy as a woman in the UK. So, there is great excitement here in the Funny Women office at the announcement that the first ever UK Women in Comedy Festival will be held this October 2013, a cross-collaboration between the growing number of women’s comedy producers, performers and supporters here in the UK.
With a mixture of promotional, development and showcase events, the festival will be an opportunity for female comics across the UK to meet, perform, debate, discuss and get feedback from industry insiders and professionals, all aiming to promoting the best of British female comedy far and wide.
The festival will be centred in Greater Manchester and has scheduled events in and around the North West of England. Acts already confirmed to take part include Zoe Lyons, Hayley Ellis, Ava Vidal, Jen Brister, Maureen Younger and more.
Spearheaded by Hazel O’Keefe of Laughing Cows Comedy, this festival is a truly collaborative venture, and the organisers would love to hear from you if you have ideas for panels, showcases, skills development – whatever you feel! The festival will be a reflection of what women in comedy want to showcase and discuss, so check out the festival website HERE and get in touch with the team by emailing info@womenincomedy.co.uk.
Pictured: Zoe Lyons, winner of the 2004 Funny Women Awards.
