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Dear John

Is a career in comedy harder for women?

First published 23rd November 2006

Question:
I am told I have a talent for comedy and I would like to pursue that aspect of my work both on stage and maybe as a stand-up, too. But I've been told that comedy is much harder for females.

Answer:
Not being female, I can't comment on that side of this query from personal experience but I don't think anyone, male or female, would suggest that comedy is ever easy, particularly if they've made a serious attempt to work in that area for any length of time. Women can and do make it to the top but I'd have to say that thinking about the various events I've been involved with over the years, the ratio of women to men who begin on the path is often fairly equal, with the girls even outnumbering the boys. But the picture often looks very different by the time the same group of performers (or at least the ones who stay the course) have begun to establish themselves and I would say that for many of the women I have seen start strong but not make it to the finish, it wasn't lack of talent that was the deciding factor.

As with other crowded performance areas, it's individualism that makes a performer stand out from the crowd and looking at the top female comedians, it seems a successful funny woman needs to be that more than most. Here are two very individual performers with a proven track record of comic success.

What the experts say:

Karola Gajda

Karola Gajda's show, My Polish Roots and Other Vegetables, is about to play at the relaunched Arts Theatre. It is an autobiographical piece about Karola's identity as an English person with Polish parents. She uses video, photos and animation to illustrate stories about her family, while cooking up beetroot soup for the audience. It explores a range of emotions but Karola has a seven-year background in stand-up comedy.

"I've always been wary of the phrase 'comedy is harder for women' as it is negative and it presents you with a problem, not a solution.

"In the context of stand-up, it is true you can often be the only woman on a stand-up comedy bill but that can make you stand out. And every comic has to prove themselves on stage, not just women.

"As with all performance, the main thing is to be confident and believe in your material. And realise that the audience wants you to succeed too. Stand-up is all about connecting with the crowd. If you connect, you can do or say anything, I have found.

"It is important to find your own voice and not try to become a version of what you think a [female] stand-up should be. This means writing in an honest and personal way and asking yourself what makes you laugh.

"Winning a competition can be a fast track but you might lack experience to sustain your position and face a very fast learning curve.

"If you have a talent for comedy that's a wonderful thing as I don't know anyone who doesn't like laughing. Whether that makes you a performer is something you'll only find out by giving it a shot. I know some brilliant comedians who are quiet in real life and some hilarious people who would never dream of going on stage. Remember stand-up isn't the only way. Are you more attracted to novels or plays, sketches or sitcoms?

"There are a lot of very funny women around and in stand-up ultimately it's your material, persona and delivery that will be proof of the pudding. Perseverance is key, not your gender."

Nicola Blackman

From The Lion King and Mamma Mia! to TV roles in Birds of a Feather and Us Girls, to her Miss Flannery in the touring production of Thoroughly Modern Millie, Nicola has experience playing comedic characters along with dramatic and musical roles. I'm taking it upon myself to point out how many times the words 'biggest cheer of the night' crop up in reviews of her Millie performance.

"The first thing I'd point out is that stand-up comedy and playing a comic character very different things.

"I can't tell a joke to save my life but I enjoy bringing a comic personality to a character which requires it. I have had the privilege of working with some excellent performers in my time - for instance Lesley Joseph, who played Mrs Meers in the Millie tour - and the experience just confirms that it takes a lot of serious acting ability to really carry off a comic character well.

"For me the essence of comedy is truth so when I'm given a comedy character to play I'm looking for the truth of that character, whether it's a realistic character or the panto part I'm currently rehearsing.

"Of course once you find that truth, you can take the character to whatever extreme you want to, and the production allows.

"Even though I've had a lot of experience in many kinds of performance, I still make it my business to watch people I know are good at comic acting to see what I can learn from them. I'd also remind female performers (and male ones too) that you don't necessarily need to focus on actors who are of the same gender or background as you to learn something you may be able to apply to your own work.

"For instance, I think that Robert Lindsay is an excellent actor to study when it comes to making a comic character real."

John sums up

I think the challenge for any female comic performer - as indeed for any minority performer in any field - is to get the balance between learning from and respecting the work of other people who have taken on the same challenges and won, and not simply becoming a clone of an existing successful performer. I think it's fair to say that a secondhand version of Jenny Eclair or Catherine Tate's act is just as boring for the audience and bookers as the latest wave of male beginners (and sometimes not-so-beginners) trotting out their versions of the Eddie Izzards, Eddie Murphy or Ben Elton. As Nicola says, finding your comedy 'truth' will involve casting your net of influence a lot wider and as Karola makes clear, the truth is that whatever your gender and whatever form of comedy you pursue, the real truth is that you have a long journey ahead of you - so make sure you're prepared to persevere until you reach your goal.

* Karola's show My Polish Roots and Other Vegetables runs at the Arts Theatre, 6-7 Great Newport St, London WC2H 7JB on November 22, 24, 29 2006 at 9pm. Details at www.karolagajda.org.uk

* Nicola Blackman is in Aladdin at Watford Palace Theatre December 2-January 7 2006 and is represented by Global Artists on 020 7839 4888.

* Feedback/queries are welcome to dearjohn@thestage.co.uk

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