We are very proud to present to you our mentors. These ladies have been working hard to train up our contenders and make this event as phenominal as possible.
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Gabby Best
Gabby won our overally main prize, sponsored by Benefit Cosmetics, in last year's Funny Women Awards last year with her hilarious alter-ego 'Marijana'. Since graduating from the Oxford School of Drama, Gabby has set her sights on the comedy world, providing material for the Feral Pigeons and participating in the 2011 cast for the Edinburgh NewsRevue, which was featured in the British Comedy Guide’s Top 25 of the Fringe, and has recently been signed with Independent Talent.
Janet Bettesworth
Janet Bettesworth is unusual on the comedy circuit as she started performing stand up three years ago at age 66. She was a finalist in the Funny Women Awards 2011, the Max Turner Prize 2012, and Silver Stand Up of the Year 2013. Janet runs a weekly comedy night with top acts, called The Painted Grin, at Apt58 in London's West End, together with comedians Jayde Adams and Oli Bettesworth.
Courtney Cornfield
After training in theatre and improv in Canada, including a number of years performing for the Loose Moose theatre company in the late nineties, Courtney came to grace the UK with her talent. Courtney is a founder of our newly formed Funny Women Players (who you will hear a lot more about over the months to come), a regular contributor on www.funnywomen.com and she will be hosting Funny Mummies, a mix of comedy and mayhem for parents and children during our Pop Up Fringe in Edinburgh this August. We are delighted that she has found time to mentor our men.
Lucy Frederick
Lucy tried out a variety of jobs before she sets her sights on stand up. After making it into the grand final of the 2012 Funny Women Awards, Lucy has continued to perform all over the UK and has become a founder member of the Funny Women Players. While prepping for her Edinburgh debut, Lucy has been doing a fantastic job of helping us whip our male contenders into shape!
Teresa Jennings
Teresa JenningsBefore becoming a semi finalist in the Funny Women Awards, Teresa trained as an actress, something which got her nominated for ‘Most Promising Actress’ for the Swan Awards. Named by Warren Mitchell as “a rocket of entertainment”, Teresa's excellent standard of energy and humour have been a great influence on our business men.
Vicky Peirson
Vicky PeirsonVicky has been involved in voiceover work for the last three years starting as a newspaper reader for the blind. This led to a short film for a charity together with appearances as Queen Victoria for the Richmond Victorian evening, Mrs Dickens and Florence Nightingale, not to mention the Queen herself and stand up comedy for a challenge with Funny Women! She carried out a day in character as Mrs Dickens for the Museum of Richmond and appeared in her own short sketch for comedy at the Orange Tree Theatre.
Julia Streets
Julia Streets is the Founder and Director of Streets Consulting, an international business development, marketing and communications consultancy. Julia is also a writer and stand-up comedian. She has been featured on BBC Radio 4's Today Programme and mentioned in a wide range of national, regional and business media. She performs regularly in a wide range of corporate engagements including gala dinners, conferences & private dinners. In 2012, her book about corporate jargon entitled 'The Lingua Franca of the Corporate Banker' was published and Julia writes the ‘Watercooler’ column for FM Magazine.
Karen Rosie
Former BBC Comedy and Entertainment producer Karen Rosie is a highly valued consultant producer to Funny Women, working with us on many of our major productions and the Funny Women Awards for the last five years. Karen also sits on our advisory board and programmed our run at last year's Edinburgh Fringe. Karen is much respected within the comedy industry and has worked with many established acts including Ruby Wax, Dara O'Briain, Tommy Tiernan, Ardal O'Hanlon, Katie Wix & Anna Crilly. More recently she worked as a consultant producer to Amnesty International, on the Secret Policeman's Ball at Radio City in New York and their run of comedy events at last year’s Edinburgh Fringe.
Rosie Wilby
Rosie Wilby was a finalist in the 2006 Funny Women Awards and has since taken four solo shows to the Edinburgh Fringe, including her award winning 'The Science Of Sex'. Rosie has appeared on Radio 4's Loose Ends, Midweek and Woman’s Hour and performed at Latitude, End of the Road and Glastonbury festivals. Time Out states: ‘Excellent and a bit posh’.
