“Not only do queer comedians tell the tales of coming out and the struggles they may have endured, but they also always find a way to bring comedy to the tale”
BY CHLOE DEYES, IMAGE BY ED MOORE
I love to laugh. I love that aching feeling in my stomach when I have laughed way too hard. I love the stiffness in my cheeks from smiling too long.
As we come into autumn and the sun turns from yellow to a deep orange, the leaves go from green to brown and the temperature drops considerably, it’s easy to find our moods changing. Searching for shows with queer characters and storylines can sometimes prove to be a rather difficult task. So where do we turn to get our fix of queer comedy? Well, we’re in luck. Some of the UK’s best queer comedians are touring the country bringing their observational wit to venues near you.
As an avid fan of live comedy, I am constantly checking X, theatre websites, and the comedians’ personal sites for upcoming announcements. Over the course of the last year, I have seen the brilliant Suzi Ruffell, Alan Carr, Tom Allen, Sarah Keyworth, Mae Martin, Fern Brady and Louise Young perform in different venues and they did not disappoint. With tears (good ones) rolling down my face and my body filled with happiness, I was already looking forward to my next comedy night out.
Something I started to think about was the ratio of audience members between those part of the LGBTQIA community and those outside of it. It was genuinely heartwarming to see bums, of people with different sexualities, on every seat watching these comedians who told stories of dating mishaps, heartbreak and being parents.
I don’t know about you, but when grey clouds make more of an appearance than the sun, I sometimes start to feel a little down. I occasionally want to hide under the duvet and watch something that will pull on my heartstrings (probably Portrait Of A Lady On Fire for the hundredth time). But I also like to venture out of my house, to a theatre, have a glass of red wine and sit and watch a comedian tell the audience about their lives.
Although these routines are rehearsed, timed and tried out to a number of different audiences through the comedians’ ‘work-in-progress’ stage, they somehow deliver their shows as if it is off the cuff. A raw talent.
It is really refreshing to see the likes of Louise Young, a lesbian comedian from the North, being the support act for the likes of Alan Carr and Tom Allen. I remember watching Mae Martin perform in Leeds and the amount of queer people in the audience was breathtaking, it was so lovely being part of the same safe space, and hearing tales of those who are transitioning or coming out to their parents. Not only do these comedians deliver on giving you an excellent evening, but they also converse, listen as much as talk to their audiences, giving a voice to those who may not have in other environments.
Not only do queer comedians tell the tales of coming out and the struggles they may have endured, but they also always find a way to bring comedy to the tale. This is another key factor in helping those who are perhaps coming to terms with their identities or have also faced some sort of prejudice. They’re giving hope to different generations.
Queer comedy is joining multiple communities up and down the country together to enjoy an evening of laughter.
Comedy itself is a way to push yourself into trying something new, so if you want to venture out on a Wednesday night with a mate or on a weekend with your favourite person, then please check out queer comedians. I promise you; you won’t be disappointed.
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