Lucy Porter star name at M Comedy club in Crewe

Jan 27 2010 by Will Harris, Crewe Chronicle

WHOEVER says women aren’t funny, look no further than Lucy Porter.

She visits the M Comedy club at the M Club in High Street, Crewe, on Friday as one of the biggest acts that promoters Jon Mitchell and Mike Ramm have put on since moving across town.

The 36-year-old has chosen South Cheshire as a testing ground before she embarks on a 40-date tour across the UK.

And she is on a mission to prove once and for all that being a woman does not mean you can’t make a crowd laugh.

“There are plenty of ladies on the circuit, much more than there used to be,” she said. “When I started out there were probably only two or three of us, but then there weren’t nearly as many men either back then.

“It’s nice to feel I’ve led the way a bit, but while there are more of us women around it’s still a bit difficult for us to make it in the industry.

“No woman actually goes on stage worrying about whether people are going to find them unfunny because they’re a woman. Gender is only important to make a story and talk about. I’m not sure why, but I guess the stereotype still makes it difficult for us.”

And does being female mean she’s at a disadvantage when it comes to heckling?

“I think I’m lucky,” she said. “Most people don’t get heckled and aggressive heckling happens rarely. It’s awful when people come thinking that all they want to do is heckle. As the comic on stage you have to put them down. You feel bad, but you have to own them.”

She cites the likes of Victoria Wood, Jo Brand and Jennifer Saunders as inspiration for abandoning a career with Granada TV to unleash the comic in her, making her debut in 1995 at Alexander’s jazz bar in Chester.

She said: “I always fancied stand-up deep down. I was denying my true self and trying to fight it so long. I was never a confident person in real life but I always liked writing comedy. As a kid I would get up and do funny stories for the class.

“I started working in telly and meeting comics, realising they were just normal people. The first time I got up and tried it at Chester I loved it.

“I always wanted to be an investigative journalist, but I’ve absolutely no regrets at all, I do love my job.”

And as a comedy writer at heart, she is never short of material.

She said: “The best stuff you come up with is what occurs to you day to day, a conversation on the bus or an advert you saw on telly. They tend to be few and far between so most of it tends to be what you write and work on.”

Currently, Lucy tends to be seen and heard on either the comedy circuit, panel shows such as Have I Got News For You and Mock The Week or on radio shows.

But she has no idea what the future holds for her.

“I never really had a career plan,” she said. “I tend to say yes to offers and see what happens. I wrote a drama script recently and I’m trying my hand at writing a book and we’ll see what happens.

“To be honest, I’m still surprised to be where I am.”

Lucy features at M Comedy on Friday, alongside Bernstein, Danny Deegan and Andrew Bird. Doors open at 7.15pm, with the show starting at 8.15pm. Tickets are £9, £8 with valid student ID. To book, visit www.mcomedy.co.uk.