As we come to the end of 2015 the Funny Women team are looking back at the comedy highlights of this year. And what a busy year it’s been; we’ve made lots of changes, watched shedloads of comedy and seen some great funny women get started in stand up. Here are some of the Funny Women team’s favourite bits of 2015…
“We have really expanded our workplace offer this year and have had the opportunity to develop programmes and deliver workshops and talks to companies like JLL, PwC, Virgin and organisations representing women in a range of industries from technology through to media and the third sector. I continue to be totally passionate about women having a voice in their professional and personal lives and Funny Women is now in a unique position to offer even more support. Look out for new workshops, academies and events in 2016 and feel free to talk to us about any ideas you may have!”
Lynne Parker, Funny Women Founder
“It’s been great to work on our revamped website with lots of talented new bloggers. I really enjoyed the 2015 Funny Women Awards – particularly seeing Lynne dancing on stage with winner Desiree. 2015 has also been the year that not one, not two but three comedy films were released starring women (what the media like to call ‘female fronted films’ and we like to call…films) Hot Pursuit, Trainwreck and Sisters. My personal highlights were interviewing Trainwreck’s Vanessa Bayer and RuPaul’s Drag Race 2014 winner Bianca Del Rio.”
Kate Stone, Funny Women Editor
“2015 has definitely been the year of the stand-up. Every year I am blown away by the sheer level of talent out there on the comedy circuit, and this year has been particularly great, with some incredibly solid stand-ups in Desiree Burch, Sarah Keyworth and Helen Monks. It’s also been a bumper year for the Comedy Shorts and Comedy Writing Award categories, with more entries than ever before, and two very deserving winners in Rachel Marwood and Christine Entwisle.
The Funny Women Awards Final this year was one of the best I’ve seen in terms of talent! And, as with everyone else in attendance, I now have a TOTAL girl crush on Kerry Godliman. I can’t wait to see what delights we’ll see in 2016!”
Isobel Matheson, Awards Producer
“2015 was the year we launched our regular night Time of the Month and it has gone from strength to strength with lots of funny women joining in to test out their new material and try their hand at stand up comedy. Make 2016 you try your hand at comedy at our Time of the Month night, or if you want to see a great scratch night come to the show we hold afterwards!”
Kate Lennon, Funny Women Producer
“I definitely won’t forget watching Laura Lexx run her workshop at our Weekend Comedy Academy in Brighton. Everyone in that room was completely into it. As for the most memorable show of 2015 it’d have to be that ‘work in progress’ version of Beth Vyse’s Edinburgh show I saw at the Museum of Comedy. I spent the first 15 minutes torn between trying to remember what was going on for the review and deciding if I should run for it to get the red wine out of my trenchcoat in time.”
Kady Potter, Funny Women Blogger
“Benefit Cosmetics are proud to continue to support the Funny Women Awards and help discover the best in grass roots female comedy. 2015 has been filled with laughter and we look forward to seeing what this year’s awards winners; Desiree Birch, Rachel Marwood and Christine Entwisle get up to in 2016.”
Liz Beardsell, Benefit Cosmetics
