The Groggy Squirrel

The last weekend of October marks the only women’s comedy festival in the Southern Hemisphere. The Sixth Annual Armidale Women’s Comedy Festival in Sydney brings an explosion of oestrogen, a plethora of punch lines, lashings of quick wit and lipstick. It’s wine, women and glorious fun!

The Armidale Women’s Comedy Festival started in 2000, when organisers Cathy Welsford and Angie Smith asked Julie Macrossan to come to Armidale to compare an event for international women’s day. Julie agreed and all that was left was to organise an event for her to compare.

“The festival started big and continues to be so”, says Cathy. “Armidale has got everything, music, dancing arts… but there was no comedy. Watching gala’s there are two women and twenty five men.” Commenting on the lack of visibility for females in the comedy industry Cathy says “it’s out there, there’s lots of it but it doesn’t get the public airing we’d like it to get. So we really wanted to give women paid work and give the people of Armidale something special to go to. This year the festival has Comedy for a cross range of ages, from ages 5 and up and now the Armidale teens have received Youth Spark funding and are learning the ropes of radio and next year will have a breakfast comedy shift. Some of the highlights are the buzz, getting people involved, getting volunteers together, developing skills.”

This year’s festival starred a myriad of female comedians. One feature artist, Fiona O’Loughlin, says of the experience that she “didn’t stop laughing from the minute I got there till the minute I got on the plane to go home”. Also appearing, The Two Frocks commented that “some of the benefits about doing a gig like this is you get to see lots of bras and there is a common understanding about the love of chocolate and a reassurance that none of us are perfect”. The festival also featured names such Mandy Nolan, “Rachel Berger”comic, Jodi Ekert, Tanya Losanno, Joanne Brookfield , and Judith Lanigan. Jodie Ekert said “I thought the festival was a fantastic learning experience. To “go bush” with your comedy as such and make a whole new style of audience laugh was certainly a challenge – especially since my solo show is called “White Trash Lesbian”.” Jodie also found the audience response to be heartening. “When a teenage girl came up to me after wards and hugged me, sharing her own personal stories you think that maybe you’ve done okay! Because the best comedy sometimes has a message behind it and I try to do a bit of that in the show – spruik a bit of tolerance and understanding along with the laughs!”

The festival was also a hit with members of the audience. One audience member, Bruce, said “I liked the whole thing, releasing endorphins…the diversity on stage is wonderful.” Audience member and Sydney clown doctor, Victoria Waldron, thought it was great that someone was recognising female comedians for who they are – professional, funny and successful. Tara, also from Sydney, is a comedy regular and says “I came to see women on stage …for a change… Line ups are most often guys. I love hearing a woman’s take on things, because I am one and I’m in the audience. I loved it.”

This years comedy festival coincided with Australia first humour conference, -“Laughter, Wellness and Engagement: Connecting the Comedy Dots” at the University of New England, focussing on Health and humour and educational humour. Opening the conference was Mikey Robbins with other speakers including Daryl Peebles, FUN-damental Management, Rachel Berger, Jan Brown, Dr Carmen Moran, Part Parslow and Jennifer Harlan, Fiona O’Loughlin, Jackie Currans, Judy Lanigan, and Pat Armistead,

Gabby Peterson, a leading behaviour teacher, delivered the paper “our kids are in trouble and its no laughing matter.” Gabby describes the Australia that leads the world in teen suicide and risk taking behaviour, high suspension in primary schools and has 40 % of children with depressed moods. “Humour is important, the benefits of laughter are immeasurable for our mental wellbeing. In the words of Alan Ackborne ‘Comedy is tragedy interrupted’” Gabby says, commenting that she would like to see more laughter and compassion in the classroom. “I use strategies that employ humour to manage challenging discipline problems in schools”, she said. “We need to change the way we talk to children, particularly children at risk. Too many teachers take themselves too seriously and they don’t get paid enough to yell. To yell they should get more pay and a make-up artist.”

Angie Smith sums up the Armidale Women’s Comedy Festival by saying “the benefits generated by the festival far outweigh its more readily discernable fiscal benefits. Not only does it provide public entertainment and avenues for non-violent protest, but also the new perspectives its comedians offer can augment consumers understanding of social issues. Enhanced knowledge has been shown to increase empathy, facilitate forgiveness of human failings and increase connectivity between individuals and groups. This production of social capital through knowledge increases the health and resilience of communities making a vital contribution to the Australian economy.”

As well as performing stand up at the AWCF I workshopped kids towards a circus and comedy show. Having the stars of tomorrow on stage today is immeasurable and at times untameable. The audiences in Armidale are fantabulous. At the gala, it was nice to share the stage with women. Seeing so many different styles of comedy has been great. Quick off the whim, with wit off the quim. The amoris Armidale audiences fertilised with an assortment of fine female comedians make this festival such a success… and now it’s ova.

Dolores Homann is a stand up comedian, actor, and director for circus and comical arts, and also appeared in this year’s Armidale Women’s Comedy Festival