This week’s gig – it’s a doozie
Wanna see Sandra Shamas (and me) for $10? Here’s how. West End Girls is a monthly all-female stand-up show (featuring one token boy) produced by Daniela Saioni and features many comics who trained, as I did, with Dawn Whitwell. The show normally takes place at Poor John’s Cafe in Toronto’s West End (hence the title of the show) but for the anniversary shows Daniela likes to take it up a notch and have a fancy location. This year we’re performing at The Royal Cinema with...
Read MoreThe StandUp Sisters raise another $10k for Gilda’s Club Toronto
We did it again! I am delighted to announce that the StandUp Sisters again managed to raise $10,000 for Gilda’s Club Toronto at our annual fundraiser, this year entitled That’s What She Said. It was a stellar line-up – Laurie Elliott was an incredible host and Nikki Payne killed it as the headliner. The legendary Sandra Shamas and the StandUp Sisters‘ teacher Dawn Whitwell were fabulous guest stars. The StandUp Sisters shone – Muniza Rauf, Rhiannon Archer, Daniela...
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 MoreOne whole year of stand-up!
<- Thanks to Karina Perez for this lovely photo of me taken at West End Girls. This week marked my one-year anniversary of doing stand-up. What a year! Starting with my first ever performance at the Black Swan I had a horrible bomb at the Diesel Playhouse (I recently got the CD recording from XM Radio and although the performance isn’t terrible I can hear where they put in canned laughter), helped raise almost $7,500 for Gilda’s Club, came third in the Toronto Comedy Brawl...
Read MoreGigs for week of September 7th 2009
This week marks the first anniversary of me doing stand-up. Yes, it was a year ago when I had my stand-up debut at the Black Swan Tavern following the completion of Dawn Whitwell‘s stand-up course. How appropriate then that I am involved in starting a new comedy room at Poor John’s Cafe in Toronto’s West End with some fellow graduates of Dawn’s class. The StandUp Sisters are launching a new monthly all-girl comedy night called West End Girls which debut’s this...
Read MoreLaughter for Life
On Thursday night the Stand Up Sisters did a gig for Gilda’s Club members. Laughter for Life week celebrated Gilda Radner’s birthday and included various events for members, their friends and families, and donors. For this stand-up event I was the MC, and fellow Stand Up Sisters Becky Bays, Leanne Mladen, Muniza Rauf, Heidi Mole and Laura Salvas got up and did their thing. Dawn Whitwell, our teacher and top chum, was the headliner. This is the first time I’ve MCd an event for...
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 MoreNice Review of the Gilda’s Club Gig
The Stand Up Sisters gang were rightly pleased with the $7,500 we raised for Gilda’s club at our benefit gig back in January. And it’s also sweet to have a nice review of the event which Daniela found online at Snap Bloor West. Check it out – great pictures of Heidi, Muniza, Dawn, Leanne and Elvira, as well as this nice one of Elvira, Dawn and Daniela above. Click here to read 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.