It's back, it's big and it was funny. Funny Women Stand Up, our annual charity night took place on International Women’s Day, Monday 8th March. We're supporting V-Day’s spotlight campaign to end rape in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This is our annual show to raise awareness of issues related to violence against women, returning for the 7th year running. Funds raised on the night are being donated to V-Day. See our work with CHARITIES.
The exceptional line-up of comedy included impressionist Jan Ravens of BBC’s Dead Ringers, and the sharp wit of Shazia Mirza. The show was hosted by the irrepressible Mrs Barbara Nice (Janice Connolly) with performances by Miss London winner of the 2009 Funny Women Awards, 2009 runners up Eve Webster and Jo Selby and past winners Suzy Bennett, Andi Osho & Katherine Ryan. Sketches and character comedy from Domestic Goddi, Carrie Quinlan, Bridget Christie and Fordham & Pilkington, plus music from Leisa Rea, cabaret from Circularity Thinking and some wise words in support of V-Day from Lynne Franks.
CLICK HERE to see pictures from the show by Claudia Wass.
Funny Women Stand Up on the 8th March marked the launch of a two week festival to celebrate International Women’s Day, See You Next Tuesday, which ran to the 20th March and played host to a programme of cultural activities based at the New Players Theatre.
Conceived by the producers of V-Day London 2008 and 2009, See You Next Tuesday is part of the global V-Day movement to end violence against women and girls in which local artists produce events and performances to raise awareness and funds. In the last two years the festival has featured innovative re-imaginings of the controversial classic The Vagina Monologues and the new collection A Memory, A Monologue, A Rant and A Prayer, by writer, campaigner and V-Day founder Eve Ensler. The festival showcased fantastic feminine and feminist talent for an action-packed two weeks, and encouraged discussion about all aspects of violence against women, including gender, sexuality, identity, equality and more in a lavish and experimental playground of fancy.
The festival gave us the opportunity to launch two new formats:
Not Just a Pretty Face, a forum for discussion which we ran in partnership with Candied Thinking, a social impact iniative, where we asked if women were running things, how would the world be different?
Speakers include: government advisor on the Home Office's report into sexualisation of women and young people, Dr Linda Papadopoulus; environmental entrepreneur Kress Wesling; Davina James-Hanman of the Greater London Domestic Violence Project; Dianne Nelmes, creator of TV’s Loose Women, semiotician Malcolm Evans & social entrepreneur Karen Darby.
Plus, we roadtested our new comedy formula, Sex, Lies and Lots of Cake, Sketch, improv, drama, stand up, music magic and even some men!
Hosted by the irrepressible Suzy Bennett, winner of the 2006 Funny Women Awards, we were taken on a comic romp with special guests and lots of cake!
Funny Women Awards finalists Domestic Goddi entertained with their uniquely-formulated, volume-boosting sketches, starring BBC Comedy Award winner, Helen O’Brien and Stage Award nominee Genevieve Swallow.
There was music from talented newcomer, Claire Burlington, magic and comedy mayhem from the spectacular Mandy Muden and improv and sketch from Don't Tell Jimmy. Kiki Kendrick performed extracts from Next! her third play which she is taking to Edinburgh later this year. Plus we couldn't get enough of those gorgeously gluten free cakes, from Wendy May Cakes.
