Talent hunt and all-women tour

Jongleurs comedy clubs have launched a hunt for the best female comics, both new and established.

The competitions will coincide with the first ever all-female comedy tour visiting the chain's venues.

A spokesman said: "Successful female stand up comediennes are few and far between. Most people have only ever heard of Victoria Wood or Jo Brand - and if asked to name any other well-known female stand-up comedienne, most of us would draw a blank."

Indeed, even the publicity struggle to name two, says the chain is aiming to find the next Victoria Wood "or Lily Savage".

The new talent hunt, called So You Think You're Funny - but not linked with the established Channel 4-backed competition of the same name - culminates in a trophy being handed out at the Jongleurs club in Camden in November, 15, the last day of the Bodyform Comedienne Tour.

Entrants have been invited to send in an audio or video tape of their performance, joke, poem recital. or "someone they know doing something funny" before the September 1 closing date. The address is So You Think You're Funny? Award, BSMG WorldWide, 110 St Martins Lane, Covent Garden, London, WC2N 4DY.

The second competition Jongleurs is running is the Female Comedy Award. Visitors to its website will be asked to vote for their favourite female stand-up from the comedy circuit - although the feature is not yet available.

The competitions and the tour, launched to coincide with the London comedy festival which kicks off this weekend, aim to encourage more women onto the circuit.

Mandy Knight, Hattie Hayridge, JoJo Smith and Helen Austin will take part in the tour, which starts in Watford on September 5 before visiting Battersea, Nottingham, Oxford, Manchester and Southampton.

Published: 20 Jul 2001