International Women’s Day, Saturday 8th March 2008 saw the return of Funny Women Stand Up for the fifth year running featuring some of Britain’s best female comedy performers and stand-ups. Our 2008 venue was the fantastic Mermaid with its state-of-the-art 600 seat theatre within the Conference & Exhibition Centre on London's North Bank, Blackfriars. We were also delighted to welcome NIVEA on board for the first time as our official sponsor for this event.
One of Britain's funniest women, the fabulous Jo Brand performed for the second time at this event along with our wonderful host Jo Caulfield, who returned for the fourth year running by popular demand. The show also featured award winning comic and author, Rhona Cameron, ventriloquist Nina Conti with her very naughty monkey, the musically articulate Isy Suttie, the vertically challenged Tanyalee Davies, Bridget Christie, winner of our first ever Funny Women Fringe Award in 2007 and Joanne Lau, runner up in last year's NIVEA Funny Women Awards. There was added humour from sketch duo, Blind Design.
We were delighted to have the Right Honourable Harriet Harman QC MP, Minister for Women and Deputy Leader of the Labour Party as our very special guest. Harriet was introduced on stage by Ayesha Hazarika, her special advisor. It was under Ayesha's guidance that this event began five years ago in recognition that laughter is a fitting celebration for women's achievements.
This show has gone on to become one of Funny Women’s key charity awareness and fund raising events and continues to bring attention to issues around violence against women. The box office proceeds raised for charity from this event over the last five years total over £50,000 and we continue to raise funds and broaden awareness for our two beneficiary charities ActionAid, which works to protect, empower and inspire women to achieve their full potential, and V-Day: Until the Violence Stops, which campaigns to end violence against women.
Go to www.vdayuk.org and www.actionaid.org.uk for more information about the fantastic work of these two organisations.
