Funny Women Awards 2011 Semi Finalist, Harriet Beveridge, is doing a charity gig on the highs and lows of parenting and has shared with us where she gets her inspiration for the show…
Other comics may dazzle you about nights and drug-taking adventures, but my big news this week is that the five year old has discovered the ‘F’ word “It’s ‘fart’ mummy, and it means the invisible poo that comes out of your bum” and the seven year old thinks the male ice dancers at Sochi were really brave: “Because they’ve been forced to wear purple.”
So I am unashamedly doing a show focused purely on parenting. I’ve found a venue with comfy seats and plenty of parking, the start time is convenient for babysitters and the finish time is early enough to cope with being woken at 2.a.m to reassure youngest that there aren’t any monsters under the bed (unless he’s counting dust balls).
Caitlin Moran has reputedly said she won’t use her children’s lives as material because it’s theirs not hers. Knickers to that! My little darlings have given me head lice, and are at least partly responsible for that episode when I opened the door to the postman with my baps out. It’s payback time.
The gig will part show, part chat. I’ve got plenty of tips to share. Followers of helpfulhumour.com will know my top ten best outfits for school mufti day (e.g. Tequila Shot Girl), what to bring in for Show and Tell (e.g. mummy’s police mug shot) and how to strike up conversation at a baby group – “I‘ll blow Molly’s nose when I think she’s emotionally ready. Right now I think it would be a violation of her personal power don’t you?”. In return I hope the audience can help me with such conundrums as is it ok to febreze a seven year old? Is it ever acceptable to put a vodka miniature in their snack box? And does seeing the Lego movie really qualify as a good night out?
Why a charity gig? As my good, late friend Nick so eloquently put it: “When you’re affluent, successful, have a great marriage and two beautiful children, a diagnosis of terminal cancer really ruins your day.” There are three things I promised to do in Nick’s memory: raise money, give blood (I thoroughly recommend it, you get a smug sense of having single-handedly saved the world, and they give you a free biscuit, what’s not to love?) and lastly and most importantly to laugh.
You can see Harriet's show, 'Mummy’s gone a bit parental' at the Bath Cricket Club on Sunday 27th April. Doors open 7.30pm, show 8.30pm.
Tickets £10 plus £1 booking fee from wegottickets.com
In aid of Maggie’s Cancer Centres and the Bath Royal United Hospital’s Forever Friends Appeal
