Years ago, I (along with a bunch of other contestants) was filmed as part of The Culture Show, for a Funny Women competition. I was very new to stand-up.. So new, in fact, that I still thought knowing your material was enough. Then along came a man I’d recently started dating who begged to come and watch. Against my better judgement, I said yes. As I walked onto the stage I felt surprisingly OK. Then I spotted him. Centre of the room. In a Persil-white shirt.Our eyes met. And

CHUCKLES IN THE CHURCH: Celebrating women, challenging misogyny and finding plenty to laugh about! What has the number eight got to do with women? Quite a lot, as it turns out. 8 March is International Women’s Day, and earlier this year a brilliant group of funny women, who began their stand-up comedy journey with me in Exeter, performed to a packed audience to mark IWD 2026. Since then, several have gone on to perform across the South West and beyond, including at this year’

The Edinburgh Festival is nearly over. Bravo to the various talented Southwest comedians who have taken the plunge! You too can learn to stand up to be seen and heard. Build the skills and confidence to create humorous, engaging stories and share them on stage, on screen or in business. Or just have fun! My new Comedy Matters courses are starting soon, helping you become a more confident, fearless and fascinating speaker – with absolutely no pressure to be funny. Phew! I’ll p

Unexpected playful happenings – incongruity – are often the grist of comedy. Just ask Immanuel Kant and Arthur Schopenhauer, who both explored the role of the unexpected in laughter. Although, once upon a time, humour wasn't taken particularly seriously. Bah! Of course, when life's unexpected moments are serious, the result is rarely laughter. But with time, disappointment, grief and pain can often be reimagined into comedy. My very first stand-up set at Plymouth University,

Being silly is surprisingly difficult for many people. Somewhere around the age of 10 years (and onwards) many of us learn to edit ourselves. We worry about looking foolish, saying the wrong thing or getting it wrong - and particularly 'standing out'. Yet, paradoxically, that's where the joy, creativity and clowning began for me. This week's clown class was all about getting out of our heads, improvising and giving ourselves permission to be stupidly silly. And that's exactl

Wild! I'm genuinely surprised by just how wild Florida is. In the space of just two weeks, I've spotted pelicans, dolphins, turtles, deer, cranes, possums, gators, a black squirrel, chipmunks and even an anhinga. Oh, and a BUNCH of vultures! Yes! What strikes me is how peacefully they all seem to coexist with each other - and humans. Which feels a tad ironic, given that the species causing the most chaos on the planet isn't donning feathers, fur, scales or a tail. Anyway, bef

I have always a mix of women, men, and more recently, trans, on my comedy courses. More women are turning to stand up and comedy characters (a great mask) to share their stories. Using humour to entertain and heal is a tip top skill. Recently, I was featured in a copy of Devon Life, and then Athena, a publication that shines a spotlight on the brilliant women running businesses across Devon. The article, which encompasses a number of women’s voices, emphasises how storytellin

ARE YOU HOT? It’s hot here. Real hot. Hotter than the hinges on the door of Hades! I was asked to scoot out of the ocean as a shark fin was in the vicinity. Two minutes later, the fin floated by – shark attached. And then a dinosaur-like pelican ploughed into the water to scoop out a big fat fish. I came back from the beautiful ocean with a fiery glow (note to self: slather on WAY more sun cream) – to a swish Florida pad (yes, you’ve guessed it – I’m on holiday in the USA). W

While we live in a world that is often marked by division, difference and sadly a lack of confidence, a sense of humour in work and home life, can make a huge difference - almost as huge as my head after the compliment I've just received! And if you can perform comedy on stage, even better - then we get to share in it. Thanks to all the funny people who are always cheering me / us up. And a huge shout out to Exeter Comedy Festival who drew people together to watch and enjoy w

Absolutely chuffed to be a creative mover, shaker and comedy maker on the Exeter comedy scene. Huge chapeau to all the brilliant funny folk bringing such a rich mix of comics, venues and ideas to this growing hotbed of humour. It’s all featured in a fabulous five-page spread in May’s edition of Devon Life magazine (pp.102–106). Big thanks to James Banyard for championing comedy and shining a light on this valuable artform in Exeter. And the buzz is already building for Exeter

New Beginnings... Just followed a seagull purposefully carrying a mouthful of dried grass—clearly nest building. Making ready for the arrival of baby chip-butty eaters of Exmouth. Filling up on plenty of carbs and fat, ready to 'offload later' on some poor unsuspecting target. They say it's lucky... People are planting their carrots; the sun’s now staying up till 8pm (shiny stop out), and the daffodils… well… mine are very much dead. Six weeks in—and boom: two standout showca

Image: Andy Gray of One Gray Dot “Smile Like You Mean It: The Art of Not Dying at Networking” Loved this cartoon from Business Festival South West 2026 —it captures the power of sharing knowledge and real-life experience. Andy Gray of One Gray Dot . A brilliant panel— James Court (Boost), John Harvey (Samphire Club), Chris Bentley (Not Working Networking), and Katie Arscott (Sisters and Sequins) —shared insight, humour, and genuinely useful advice. Let’s be honest… walking in

And the sun is finally sunning! Time to repaint these gals – now the sun’s here to stay - for today! Yes, it’s Mad March – clocks go forward – again. Just wish they’d stay put instead of the continual bounce back and forth – although it is spring… Had a fab all women comedy night this month – sold out – and there’s another awesome comedy Mash-Up next - Thursday 26 March. 7.30 kick off. Lovely mix of experienced and newbies. Support if you can. It’s a GREAT night out. People a

Spring is coming! Well… almost — 20 March to be precise. And what better time to give birth to a new talent — storyteller, stand-up comedian, or even a gloriously ridiculous comedy character. Come on… you know you’re funny. They say, humour turns speakers into standouts, and if you laugh, you listen, and when you listen - you remember. I agree. What do you think? This March, because people asked for more flexibility (aren’t we all busy?) , I’m running two six-week comedy co

'Find the Pleasure' A deceptively simple phrase coined by the late, legendary clowning teacher Philippe Gaulier — one that has deeply shaped my life, performance and teaching.It sounds light, but it’s radical. It asks us to soften. To risk. To play. In my classes, I invite students to approach comedy with curiosity and mischief — to be as bold and free as seven-year-olds in a world where anything can be reimagined. This week, Wendy O’Shea — Professor at Exeter University, Dir

The Golden Rule When I’m teaching stand-up or clowning, I have one golden rule: No put-downs. That includes yourself. Love yourself. Have a go. See what happens. When people feel free to experiment — without the pressure of having to be funny — something shifts. We start to see potential. Every single week I witness it: the laughter, the breakthroughs, the growing confidence. It’s remarkable. Thank you to my brilliant classes for trusting the process ❤️ I remember some comed

(pic - not a flood - frozen Derwentwater in the Lake District) After a honeymoon break in the lovely Lakes and Bonnie Scotland, I returned home to a full-scale bomb scare — a leftover WWII device, just casually waiting to be rediscovered in the murky waters of the marina. Welcome home. This week brought biblical floods courtesy of Storm Chandra. With roads impassable, I reverted to delivering a pacey comedy workshop on Zoom. Honestly? Such a lot of fun. I missed being in the

Image Michael James Help (and wisdom) very much appreciated… Years ago, I performed at the Edinburgh Festival as walkabout Baroness Elsa (check her out). What a hoot. Gloriously edgy. Risqué! It's amazing what women in their 40s (sometimes earlier/later) start doing. I did a PhD and this performance was part of my exploration into female clowning. The six-inch stiletto, thigh-length boots (which you can't see) were excruciatingly painful - the things women do for art - and l

Wishing you good health and happiness in 2026 — and heaps of humorous moments along the way. Flipping tragedy into comedy sits at the very heart of my world. That’s not to say I don’t weep or wail at disappointments, disease, and death — all of which visit us sooner or later. But while these moments are rarely amusing at the time, something shifts when we’re able to retell them as stories. Catharsis sneaks in, usually wearing a red nose.Chances are you’ve gathered a few new t

My family and some friends visited Devon this week and I decided to introduce them to Dartmoor. And yes — I absolutely picked the weather. We visited Dartmoor Prison Museum. It was almost empty, apart from a wonderfully knowledgeable chap on reception. Go visit — the museum , not the prison itself, which is currently closed while high radon levels are addressed. Despite the rain and mist, it was good to be together. My family live in the North, so these moments felt precious