Women taking centre stage at King’s Head

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This article was published 23/10/2017 (2917 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

There should be something for everyone at Sarasvàti Productions’ Women’s Comedy Night Fundraiser.

The event, now in its second year, will be held at the King’s Head Pub (120 King St.) on Wed., Nov. 15. This year, an early and a racier late night show have been introduced to meet demand, organizers say. The first show is 7 p.m. (doors open at 5:30 p.m.) and the second show is at 9:30 p.m. (doors open at 9 p.m.).

The goal of the event is to showcase and support some of the women doing stand-up in Winnipeg’s comedy scene, while aligning with Sarasvàti’s mandate to foster social change and promote equality on Canadian stages. The fundraiser is hosted by comedian Dana Smith, who teamed up with Sarasvàti to organize the event.

As well as Smith, other comedians scheduled to perform include Anjali Sandhu, Carole Cunningham, Danielle Kayahara, Lara Rae, Kate Schellenberg, Florence Spence, and Heather Witherden.

“It’s a chance to come out and learn about what women comedians talk about,” said Cunningham, who lives in St. Boniface.

“It’s a buffet of eight women comedians from different backgrounds with diverse voices who will showcase different kinds of talent. Sarasvàti tries to bring a spotlight to voices that are not always heard.”

Cunningham, 37, has been performing since 2015 and is a regular at women’s open mic events. In addition to touring across Canada, she was involved with the Winnipeg Comedy Festival in 2016 and 2017, has produced several shows, and opened for national comedy favourites such as John Wing, Mike MacDonald, and Erica Sigurdson. She describes her humour as “very observational.”

“I like dry humour, misdirectional humour, and I rely on pauses and timing. My comedy can be pretty silly and fun, and there’s no racism, homophobia or transphobia. I never punch down, and I always make fun of myself. I also like contrasting the societal expectations between women and men,” Cunningham said.

And in terms of value for money, the southeast Winnipegger believes the upcoming fundraiser is hard to beat.

“I’m hoping everyone will come out to either the early or the late show, as this will be one of the most exciting comedy events in Winnipeg. There are not that many shows like this in the city.”

Go online at sarasvati.ca or call 204-586-2236 for tickets or more information. Tickets are $15. Some tickets may be available at the door.

simon.fuller@canstarnews.com