Giggedy!
November is just crazy for me! I have ten stand-up gigs this month starting tomorrow. Can you come out and play? Tomorrow is Glam Cabaret – Topher McFarlane’s fabulous variety show in Kensington Market. I love this room! So fun. And I love me some variety acts. And it’s for a good cause – part of the proceeds for the evening will go to the Canadian Cancer Society. What’s not to like? Wednesday I’m back at Absolute Comedy which I love too. Not just because...
Read MoreThis week’s gig
This week I shall mostly be at Spirits. (That reference was for all the UK readers who are old enough to remember the Fast Show). Jo-Anna Downey (pictured left) has been running this room for fifteen years and recently celebrated her time in comedy with a show at the Bathurst Theatre. This is one of my favourite rooms in the city – I hope to see you there! 9pm at Spirits Bar and Grill, 682 Church Street just south of Bloor, Toronto It’s a free show, the food is great, the beer...
Read MoreBrantford Comedy Festival
I realize I have been horribly remiss in not telling you the news from my recent performance in the Rising Stars Showcase at the Brantford Comedy Festival. I came second! Out of 11 comics! Some of whom are pictured above! (From left to right – Pio Modi, me, Andrew Ivimey with the bunny ears, Steve Scholtz who hosted, Ian Lynch doing his scary mask face, Nathan Macintosh who was the headliner, Pat MacDonald and Clifford Meyers). I did my summer set which seemed to please the audience...
Read MoreA Jest Cause
On Tuesday night I did another charity fundraiser – this time in aid of Scarborough Women’s Centre. It was organized by the fabulous Elaine “handy” Dandy whom I’ve known almost the whole time I’ve been doing stand-up. Banker by day, comic by night, Elaine is a real mover and a shaker who busts her balls to organize events and get out there to perform, despite having a (more than) 9 to 5 job. I really take my hat off to her. I love Absolute Comedy as a room...
Read MoreWest End Girls – Anniversary Edition!
How fitting that I’m celebrating my second anniversary of doing stand-up by hosting the West End Girls’ first anniversary show! It’s been a wonderful two years – I’ve competed in five stand-up competitions, been in the finals and the semi-finals of the Toronto Comedy Brawl in 2009 and 2010 respectively, I’ve done two charity gigs for Gilda’s Club that have raised nearly $20,000, I raised over $1,000 single-handed for Canadian Breast Cancer in the Run...
Read MoreComedy Girl Showcase
They came. They learned. They conquered the mic. My stand-up teacher, Dawn Whitwell, has organized a showcase for some of her female graduates at the Comedy Bar this Friday. I’m very flattered to be on the show: Dawn is promoting it as the best of her recent students. It’s fabulous to be on a bill with a lot of good friends and comics that I really love. Here’s the line-up: Amber Harper-Young Becky Bays Candace Lovett Daniela Saioni Georgea Brooks-Hancock Karen Mitton Lianne...
Read MoreNew stand-up set online
My summertime set is now online! Last week I was very lucky to be on the first edition of the Glam! Cabaret. It was an incredibly well-organized night of variety acts (thanks again to Topher McFarlane and The Sketchers for producing the show), had a live feed and was filmed with three cameras! This is the closest I’m going to get to a showcase this snazzy for some time. Enjoy it! Click on the image above to go to my Stand Up page – it’s the first video...
Read MoreGigs this week
Lots going on this week! I have five performances of SmackHeaded Peter and a variety show of epic proportions… SmackHeaded Peter opened with a bang on Friday night – we had a great house and were very pleased with how well the world premiere of the play was received. There are still five chances to catch this marvellously dark and funny tale of a heroin messiah from a grim housing project in London, England: Sunday 8th August at 3pm Tuesday 10th August at 5.30pm Thursday 12th...
Read MoreMarilla who?
I am a British-born actress and stand-up comic who does lots of voice work (for commercials, cartoons and corporate clients) and sometimes, when I'm very lucky, tv and film. When I was in England I did mostly theatre. Now I'm in Canada I spend the majority of the time writing and performing stand-up. When I'm not making episodes of Talking Bollocks, that is. And that's me for you.