I booked Stand-Up Showdown again!
Hooray! This coming Tuesday (23rd June) I will be competing in my second Stand-Up Showdown. I came second the last time I was asked to be in the show. It’s at 8 o’clock at the Comedy Bar which is on Bloor at Ossington. 8 comics compete. There are 3 topics – all the competitors do a 2 minute set on the first topic (self-help books). Then 4 go through to the second round to do 3 minutes on the next topic (tribute bands). Only 2 survive to the final – 4 minutes on the last...
Read MoreWhen you get an unexpected gig…
When you go out to see a mate’s band, you don’t expect them to get you to go up on stage and do a turn. But that’s just what happened to me this evening at the Free Times Cafe. My dear friend Pelayo Matute was performing with his excellent a capella trio Kirsten Sandwich and since Pelayo has been such a mentsh and been to loads of my gigs I was very excited to be able to return the favour. However, because my dog Farfl had just been spayed three days ago I wasn’t sure...
Read MoreLaughter for Life Week at Gilda’s Club Toronto
We’re doing it again for charity! The Stand Up For Your Sisters gang is pleased and proud to report that we are once again doing a gig for Gilda’s Club Toronto. Laughter for Life Night takes place at 6.30pm on Thursday 16th June at the Clubhouse in Toronto and I will be doing my first ten minute set – exciting! I’m still working out which jokes I want to do and in what order – I can’t wait! Also on the bill is my friend and teacher Dawn Whitwell – I...
Read MoreToronto Comedy Brawl
It’s on. I’m ready. Bring it. In July and August 64 stand-ups will be going head-to-head for comic supremecy in Toronto. In the first round 8 comics will battle it out in each of the 8 shows in July – the audience will cast their votes for their first, second and third favourite acts. 24 will go through to the second round spread over three shows in August and the final show will be down to just 9 comedians. I will be on at the Comedy Hole on Tuesday July 14th in the third...
Read MoreTodd was right about Ein-stein’s
David Reuben runs the room at Ein-Stein’s A few months ago I went to a comedy night at Ein-Stein’s with my friend Andrea. I was not terribly impressed. Not that the quality of the comedy was any worse than I have seen in other rooms around Toronto – it’s just that the set-up did not seem conducive to a good experience for either the comics or the audience. The stage is in the middle of this college bar so anyone walking in off the street has to walk right in front of the...
Read MoreHaving a Blast at Yuk Yuk’s
Last night was my first time at Yuk Yuk’s. I had a blast. Tuesday night is amateur night at Yuk’s and I’ve been meaning to do it for a long time. Back in February I foolishly triple-booked myself at the Comedy Hole, the Eton House and Yuk Yuk’s. Since the Comedy Hole and the Eton House came first, I ended up blowing Yuk Yuk’s out. Some people said I should have done Yuk’s, but I didn’t want to let down Ian Atlas or Jo-Anna Downey. And Jess at...
Read MoreTesting your material really does rock!
Pelayo Matute – a real mentsh! Back in July of last year I wrote a post about how testing your material in front of others is imperative. Well last night I had a concrete example of why it works! At my friend Inge’s last artists’ salon I decided to try out some material for a gig I was doing with Dawn Whitwell the next night. I ran my set and everyone gave me their thoughts. There were many helpful notes, but the most useful came from my friend Pelayo who suggested some...
Read MoreHaving a Blast at Absolute Comedy
Last night I did my set in a real comedy club for the first time. Absolute Comedy at Yonge and Eglinton in Toronto is a lovely room to play. With a paying audience, great food and unobtrusive table service, this is a pretty classy joint. On a Wednesday night the audience knows that there are new comics on the bill and they are ready to laugh and refrain from heckling (although there was quite a chatty bird in the front row – she was clearly having a ball and joined in throughout the...
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.