Behind the Mic: Material, Girl

Tell Me about Material, Girl – what’s the gig like?

The gig is my baby – a super fun, welcoming mixed bill show of female comics. Because it's on a Sunday afternoon, the audience are always just wonderful – never too rowdy but always up for laughing their heads off. An audience member told us recently that it's the kind of gig a person can show up to alone and not feel out of place. That made me really proud. 

How did the gig come about?

I was inspired by something Susan Riddell [Dwyer’s co-host] said to me about how she loves gigging with other lassies. At the time I didn't really know many other women in comedy so thought organising a female-only gig would be a nice way to meet them and build relationships. It went so well the venue asked me if I'd like to make it a monthly thing.

What was the first Material, Girl gig like?

Pretty scary because I’d never put on my own show before. I think, because there weren't any all-female shows around at the time, it was a bit different and people really went for it. I asked Susan to headline and also had Amanda Hursy, Emma McNally, Rae Brogan and Molly Buckingham perform. At GICF the following year, Fern Brady headlined and it was so surreal.

Who'd be on your dream lineup?

I’d 100% get Maria Bamford to headline – she's so bloody funny and I'm dying to meet her. Then I'd have some of my fave female comics from the Scottish scene – Amelia Bayler, Kate Hammer, Kim Blythe and Susan Riddell – so we could all have a silly little time.

What's been your best bit of comedy/gig-running advice?

I've had some great advice from the likes of Susie McCabe, Viv Gee and Tom Stade. The biggest takeaway is to work hard and be yourself. Find your comedic voice and lean right into it and everything else should follow. You can only be really funny when you're being you.

Who or what on the comedy scene do you think we should look out for?

I could write a huge list of hidden gem acts, but a couple of my favourites are Maddie Fernando and Mara Joy. They both make me cackle and are so unique.

As for gigs, I’d pick Ross Leslie's Good Egg new material nights at Van Winkle West End and Darren Connell's Just One More Laugh at Blackfriars. They’re both lovely gigs with cracking line ups and run by great guys. Definitely worth checking out if you want to see pros do new stuff.

Who's the funniest comedian you've seen and why?

Josh Glanc is absolutely fantastic. The solos for all his songs are just so bonkers. Saw his hour after gigging with him and loved it so much, I went back with my sister cause I knew she'd love it too. It was hilarious both times and slightly different due to his creative audience interaction.

Would you rather give the best advice but never take it yourself, or be able to make anyone laugh but never find yourself funny?

I like to think I give good advice but imagine being the go-to best advice friend? That would be amazing! I never take my own advice anyway so that wouldn’t change and there’s no way I could live a happy life without being able to find myself funny – nobody laughs at me more than I do.

What's next for Material, Girl?

We have a super exciting live podcast show coming up during Glasgow Comedy Festival. We've made it a besties theme seeing as Susan and I are best pals, and so are our brilliant guests Fern Brady and Alison Spittle. We've never done a live one before and I can't believe they’re joining us for the evening.

Is there anything else you'd like to tell us about?

If you’re into jokes about revenge and the female experience of trauma, I’ve got a WIP at GICF coming up. I’m also involved in Story Platform, a new show in Edinburgh which has a Saturday Night Live format. The last week of each month, I meet with other writers and performers on a Monday, and on the Friday night, we perform a sketch show to a live audience. It's so mad and the most fun I've had collaborating with others!

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Material, Girl: Live Podcast feat. Fern Brady and Alison Spittle, Oran Mor, 17 Mar, 7.30pm, £20
Amanda Dwyer: I Did Something Bad (WIP), Van Winkle West End, 15 Mar, 1.50pm and 4.30pm, £3/£4
Susan Riddell: Work in Progress, Van Winkle West End, Van Winkle West End, 14 Mar, 7.10pm, £5
Story Platform, 28 Mar, Traverse Theatre (Traverse 2), 8pm, Free