The standard was very high at our Brighton semi-final at Komedia, but Jen Ives was one of the acts who stood out and she will be going through to our Grand Final!
Funny Women: How does it feel to be through to the 2019 Funny Women semi-final?
Jen Ives: It’s really exciting. Funny Women is such a great, supportive organisation, which has encouraged me ever since I first entered back in 2017. I’m overwhelmed to have made it to the final this year, and I’m really happy to be in such good company with loads of comedians I genuinely love.
FW: Describe your comedy to us.
JI: I mainly talk about whatever is going on in my life at that moment – whether it’s navigating the world as a trans woman who wants to buy maternity wear, or trying to figure out how I feel about gay penguin adoptive rights – I try to keep people guessing as to what my point of view will be.
FW: What inspired you to start doing stand up?
JI: I started in early 2017. I had come out of a long term relationship, so was living alone for the first time. I was spending more time on my own than I was used to, and ended up writing jokes to pass the hours. One day, I realised that I had written all these jokes, but didn’t know what they were for. So, I decided to try them at an open mic in Brighton. With encouragement from the local scene, I haven’t stopped since.
FW: Who are your favourite funny women?
JI: Sarah Silverman is great, especially how she subverts people’s expectations of her. I really love Julia Davis as a writer and character actor, also. I think Daisy May Cooper from This Country is incredible.
Join us at the Funny Women Awards Grand Final, Thursday 19th September at the Bloomsbury Theatre, London. For tickets click here!
