As we head towards the end of 2022, we asked members of the Funny Women Team and our non-executive board for their comedy highlights of the year.
Tracey Barr, Chair/Non-Executive Director:
“Taking six friends to the Funny Women Awards Final – their first experience of female stand-up comedy and they absolutely loved it, especially Lorna Rose Treen’s prize winning Comedy Short film where she is a Brownie!”
Monica Gaga, Non-Executive Director and Workshop Facilitator:
“The laughter, the energy and the view of the live How To Have Fun At Work event, this year.”
Mariana Feijo, Digital Creative Strategist and Funny Women Comedy Shorts Award Producer:
I had the chance to photograph the last four FOC IT UP! Comedy Clubs and have to say Kemah Bob has created an amazing place where you’re guaranteed laughter and enjoyment. I was also lucky enough to be in the audience for the very first Saima’s Comedy Corner and haven’t stopped recommending it to everyone!”
Roxy JC, Producer – Funny Women Amsterdam:
“Watching Lara Ricote’s hour GRL/LATNX/DEF in Amsterdam, which won the Edinburgh Fringe Best Newcomer Prize, after having followed her career for years, since her first five minutes at our Funny Women Open Mic night.”
Debbie Charleston, Non-Executive Director:
“My highlight of the year was the final of the Funny Women Awards at the Bloomsbury Theatre in London. The show was packed full of talented women and the winners were all very worthy, it was so good to see the quality of the finalists and how they held the audience following the online heats.”
Kirstin Miller, Business Development Lead:
“Lorna Rose Treen at the Funny Women Awards final, her set was very unusual and she cracked me up with her original routine.”
Janet Awe, Non-Executive Director:
Delighted to say that 2022 has had too many comedy highlights, on the screen, on the radio/podcasts and live on stage, to be able to pick just one. It’s been joyous to see more established talent flourish and newer talent breakthrough and get the recognition they deserve. And wonderful that the brilliant Funny Women Awards continues to play such a pivotal role in helping to make some of that happen.”
Richard Lightman, Non-Executive Director:
“My comedy highlight of the year was definitely the final of the Funny Women Awards. I laughed, I cried, and it was slick to the max.”
Jo Fletcher-Cross, Non-Executive Director:
“Taking my stepdaughter to see Jessica Fostekew’s Wench – her first full length comedy show, and a brilliant, funny and relatable show for a 20 year old and her old step mum to see together. Her previous show Hench was the last show I saw before lockdown so it all felt perfect.”
Carmen Mackey, Awards Coordinator:
“My favourite comedy moment of the year was interviewing Jo Brand! Here’s the link below. Enjoy!”
Alex Rochford, Awards Director:
“My favourite comedy moment of 2022 was Liz Truss’ bafflingly short tenure. (Other than the, tanking the economy for future generations to come bit).”
Lauren Allpress, Non-Executive Director, Social Media Advisor:
“Charmian Hughes at the How to Have Fun at Work event hosted by Funny Women at Grey London in October was my comedy highlight of 2022. She was joined on the bill by several superb women comedians who were all hilarious, but Charmian’s silly and outrageous set caught me off guard and made me laugh so hard I needed my inhaler. To wrap up a corporate event with stand up is genius – especially when the calibre of talent is so high.”
Rachel Creeger, Non-Executive Director:
“I found it such a privilege to coach the finalists for their performance at the Funny Women Awards grand final. They are an outstandingly talented group and the night was incredible. I’m also part of a comedy writers’ group that was set up during lockdown as a way to keep us connected and create new work. Over the past year, members of our group have really flourished and seeing the women in particular gaining recognition has brought us all tremendous pride.”
Jae Sloan, Non-Executive Director:
“My comedy highlight of the year was without a doubt the Funny Women Awards because of the incredible quality of the Stage Award and Comedy Shorts finalist, Lorna Rose Treen. I was in awe of the talent and laughed all night.”
Lynne Parker, Founder & CEO:
“I’m proud to have seen the start of so many great comedy careers over the years and the thrill of seeing people perform their first ever two minutes of comedy in my Stand Up to Stand Out comedy workshops never leaves me. I’ve run several public workshops this year in the gorgeous surroundings of the Groucho Club, and worked with some amazing corporate clients so, apart from the final of the 2022 Funny Women Awards of course, they are up there as my highlights.”
If you missed out on some fun this year, our amazing streaming partners, NextUp Comedy, have released the 2022 Funny Women Awards Grand Final for you to watch over the holiday season! Available to existing NextUp Comedy subscribers NOW, or sign up HERE with the code ‘FUNNYWOMEN5’ for 5% discount off the cost of a membership fee.
