It can’t have been easy to select from the plethora of comedy talent that the Funny Women competition attracted this year, but after two of the strongest semi-finals in the seven year history of the competition, the 12 finalists have been announced who will go through to the final at the world-famous Comedy Store on September 21st.
The Awards has seen a far more diverse mix of performances this year with a wide range of ages, styles and nationalities. At 25, the youngest performer is Charlie Covell whose “brilliant incisive humour belies her years” while Elizabeth Mee, a 55-year old solicitor “brings a whole new meaning to aga sagas and middle age.” Add to this, Domestic Goddi, no, nothing to do with Nigella Lawson but a sketch comedy duo, Helen O’Brien and Genevieve Swallow; Italian Giada Garofalo, who appears not to be too enamoured with the leathery-tanned Berlusconi; young impressionist Eve Webster; Norweigan Marie Vagen and Rhona McKenzie, who delivers a “big comedy punch despite battling brittle bone disease,” and it’s clear the judges will have a hilarious, but, no doubt, tough time when it comes to assessing the winner from this eclectic spectrum.
This year though, I think the stellar line-up will take precedence over who actually wins. The competition attracted nearly 250 contestants and as, Lynne Parker, founder and producer of Funny Women, comments, has proved that “Funny Women is a fully inclusive platform for female comedy.
“The varied and high calibre of performances this year indicates that there are more talented female comics coming up through the circuits and supportive arenas such as Funny Women can only nurture that process further. Parker says: “More women are having a go at actual stand up – some of them may be performing comedy as actors so they cross over into stand up for experience. We are getting more women because society is changing too – all the traditionally strong male roles in life, such as firefighter and policeman are now being taken on by strong women.” She adds: “What I like about female comedy is that it is different and comes from our experiences and perspective on life. It may help men to understand us a bit more!!! ”
The Funny Women 2009 Final will be held at the Comedy Store in central London on Monday 21st September and will be hosted by comic and impressionist Jan Ravens, best known for BBC’s Dead Ringers.
