We’re back baby! With open mic nights in nine different venues across seven different countries (Amsterdam, Brighton, Dublin, Rotterdam, Montreal, Basel, Brussels, Paris and now London) Funny Women Live is back, in our legendary London venue; The Groucho Club. Of course, we had to visit and support the first night back in four years, and it was a corker of an open mic.
Julie Doherty was our MC for the evening and warmed us up nicely, in the swanky upstairs room in The Groucho Club – probably one of the most comfortable chairs you’ll experience at an open mic. Doherty created an accepting atmosphere for our line up of open mic-ers, and the crowd responded with supportive cheers and whoops.
We had a whopping line up of nine acts in total.
In the first half, we had: Martha Burns; filthy and funny in equal measure, covering topics of her experience growing up in a catholic Italian household, with a strict catholic mother, and rebelling in various ways.
Next; ‘Marta Loren‘, a character comic of Sophia Loren’s fictional sister, who breezed onstage perfectly aloof, selling a variety of sunglasses.
Zara Virapen followed, whose set covered a work life balance, dating and her definition of emotional baggage.
Monicah Sue delivered a set on what it’s like to be told you look like your father, on being exceptionally tall, and being raised learning English in Wales.
After a short drink and loo break, Sawan Chadha opened the second section, effortlessly entertained the audience comparing being queer in an all girls school to being a blind-folded sweet-toothed person in a sweet shop.
Rabiah Coon, UK based Canadian comic, followed, delivering a calm, confident set on carpel tunnel syndrome, low libido, intermittent fasting and the UK healthcare system.
Vic Barry was next, commenting on natural disasters – specifically how it feels to cruelly be compared to a sink hole.
Bazaract (Baz) Raymond delivered an equally filthy and funny set about swallowing (…), and living in Dagenham.
The last act of the night and our guest headliner was Kate Cheka, Funny Women Stage Award Winner 2023. She brought us home with a snippet from her work in progress show, about her parents; living with her mum in Wiltshire during Covid, her father, and a brief comparison of some of the Bible to a gay man.
You can expect more hilarity at the next Funny Women Live in London! On Tuesday 28th May @ 7:30pm, at The Groucho Club, Soho.
