This week we held a live and COVID-compliant 2020 Funny Women Stage Award Final at the world-famous Comedy Store in London. With her quirky style and offbeat one-liners, Eryn Tett expertly danced into second place. We caught up with Eryn to talk about the Awards, her comedy style and why she avoided online gigs…
Funny Women: How does it feel to place in the Funny Women Awards?
Eryn Tett: Super stoked about it! I’d entered the Funny Women Awards a few times, so to make the final and then come second is pretty rad.
FW: To say this year has been a little different is an understatement, up until the final the Funny Women Stage Award took place online. What are your thoughts on online gigs?
ET: So… I went on a hard avoid of online gigs before the Funny Women Awards semi-final and then it turned out- it’s actually fine! For me, when everything turned to an online platform I took it as an opportunity to really push forward with my videos and sketches which I write and produce. I felt like I wouldn’t be able to get the same atmosphere with stand up as you do live and didn’t want to ‘ruin’ how stand up feels for me. In the end, it was a really great gig. I’m not sure if that’s online gigs overall or just a testament to how well Funny Women did it.
FW: How would you describe your comedy?
ET: I’m an alternative comedian who toes the line between straight stand up and absurdism. My comedy is made up of wordplay, short jokes, odd observations and surreal storytelling set to a charmingly uncomfortable rhythm.
FW: What’s next for Eryn Tett?
ET: In the near future I hope to develop my solo show Eryn Tett Finds Her Audience. As a newly proactive misfit, I’m creating a comedy show which takes a more literal, ‘data collecting’ approach to the common advice to comedians – ‘find your audience and build from there’. Hopefully, I’ll be taking it to some Fringes – COVID allowing! I suppose this leads to an even higher goal of a mine; when I’ve actually ‘found my audience’ and get to invite them to my future touring stand up shows, and we can all be oddballs together.
In the meantime, I plan to continue writing and producing sketches, as well as finishing the first season of my sitcom I’m writing. The dream is to spend my life making comedy with talented groups of people. Nothing sounds better than that.
FW: Who are your favourite funny women?
ET: My favourite funny woman is Tig Notaro. She’s my favourite stand up. She twists all the rules and I love it. Nobody bathes in the silence like she does. One of my first loves was Kristen Wiig and I worship Catherine O’Hara. One of my favourite films is Waiting for Guffman – It’s everything I wish I was a part of. She’s also the entire reason I started watching Schitt’s Creek, which is so good I’m glad she roped me in.
To keep up with Eryn’s online videos and gigs follow her on Twitter here!
