Funny Women Awards seek new talent
at Edinburgh
Fringe
Organisers
of the Funny Women Awards are continuing their search for this year's
crop of newest female comedy talent at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in a run of heats
at the Assembly Rooms from Friday 7th to Sunday 9th August over the first weekend of the Festival.
Funny
Women has produced shows at the Fringe for five years and last year introduced
its Fringe Award for the best female act or show at the festival which was won
by Janey Godley.
"We've
always raised the bar as far as challenging people's opinions of female
comedy is concerned. It makes sense for us to see new acts competing in
our main Funny Women Awards during the Festival this year and support the main
Edinburgh Awards in terms of encouraging more recognition for women.
"The
Edinburgh Fringe is renowned for many excellent female shows and performers so
we will be strategically placed. We are also delighted to be back at the
Assembly Rooms after a two year absence."
The
showcases will be hosted by the Late Edition and News Quiz regular, Carrie
Quinlan on Friday 7th August and then Funny Women Awards alumni
Rosie Wilby (finalist 2006) and Diane Morgan (runner up 2006) will host on
Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th August respectively.
The
Funny Women Awards are now in their seventh year, and further live showcases
are taking place in Leicester on Saturday 1st August and London, culminating in two
dates at the Camden Fringe on 22nd and 23rd August.
To date over 150 acts have been seen from across the UK at the Brighton Festival in May and
during the inaugural London Bridge Festival this month.
A
new timetable has been implemented for the Funny Women Awards to accommodate a
number of changes. As part of the new structure a number of professionals
from the media and entertainment world have been at every showcase.
Michael
Buchanan-Dunne, the development editor for BBC Comedy Commissioning who is on
the judging panel says of the competition, "I'm absolutely delighted to be
judging this year's Funny Women Awards. "There's a wealth of exciting,
vibrant and original female performers in comedyland and this
is a fabulous chance for them to shine".
Valuable media
partnerships are also in place to promote the competition. Comedy Central
has supported the Funny Women Awards for the last five years and Sarah Farrell,
its director of content, chairs the judging panel at the final.
"This year,
more than ever, we need a laugh!" says Sarah. "We're proud to
continue our involvement with Funny Women and fully back their supportive
campaign to bring the funniest women to the fore."
The Funny Women Awards are open to
any woman who can perform stand up in front of a live audience. Up to ten
acts will be selected from across the UK
to perform at the charity final on Monday 21st September at the
world famous Comedy Store in London.
Last year the competition attracted over 250 entrants. Anybody still
wishing to enter must now register on-line at www.funnywomen.com for a place in the
last five showcases.
First prize for the winner will be a week's luxury
holiday for two at the five-star contemporary boutique Londa Hotel in
Limassol. The winner will also perform at the Londa as part of the
increasingly successful Funny Women tour at the hotel which is attracting big
audiences on the island.
"We are still changing perceptions about women on the
stand up comedy circuit where there is just as much variety and diversity
amongst the women as the men," comments Lynne. "This year's crop
has unearthed some incredible new comedy talent and we're excited about
putting it all together for the Final at the Comedy Store in September."
Last
year's winner was Canadian Katherine Ryan, now resident in the UK and
a former children's TV presenter as well as a stand up. Previous
winners include Zoe Lyons who won in 2004, Sarah Adams, who performed as Jade
The Folk Singer in 2003 and it now half of successful comedy duo Adams &
Rea, Debra-Jane
Appelby who won in 2005, Suzy Bennett who took the title in
2006 and Andi Osho in 2007.
Ticket information:
Funny Women Awards showcases in the Wildman Room at the
Assembly Rooms @ George Street,
Edinburgh on Friday 7th,
Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th August. Show 7.35 p.m. to
8.35 p.m. Tickets £6.
To book in advance visit http://www.assemblyfestival.com or call 0131 623 3030.
-ends-
‘If this is
the future of womanly comedy, then it's in sale, exciting hands.'
Tim Arthur, Time Out
‘A superb
champion of talent.' Shane Allen, Channel 4 Comedy
For more information about Funny Women
please visit:
www.funnywomen.com or email [email protected]
- Funny Women was started in 2002 by Lynne Parker as a platform
to find and celebrate female comedy talent. - For more information about the Londa
Hotel in Cyprus
visit www.londahotel.com.
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