Ancona: Female comics have it tough

Women are still struggling to be taken seriously in comedy, impressionist Ronni Ancona claims.

She says that not only is she perceived as playing second fiddle to Alistair McGowan by the public, but even fellow writers overlook her talent.

Ancona says she does not get the credit for her work, with critics even praising McGowan for writing sketches she created.

She told The Sunday Times: "You're sitting in a room with male writers and you say something, and it's ignored.

"You say it again and it's ignored. And then a man will say it and everyone goes, 'That's brilliant.'"

Ancona also believes there is not much more mileage in impersonations, and that another series of Big Impression is unlikely.

"I don't find impressions that exciting any more," she said. "I feel we're coming to the end of the road.

"There are a lot of impressions shows around at the moment. There's a very small pond, and if you're all feeding on the same pondweed, you don't get much inspiration.

"I don't think we have another series in us."

She now wants to concentrate on films ­ with her first, The Calcium Kid with Orlando Bloom, our soon ­ but again she says she faces an institutional sexism in the industry.

"Unfortunately, there are few comedy parts for girls in film," she said. "You get the boys who move on, Mackenzie Crook and so on. There seem to be opportunities for them. Less so for girls.

"A lot of people assume I'm going to be very competitive with girls, but I actually feel quite excited when girls are doing well, because I realise what that's taken.

"There are some fantastic comedy women around at the moment," she adds, naming Nighty Night's Julia Davis, Catherine Tate, Morwenna Banks and Nina Conti.

To read the interview in full

Published: 18 Apr 2004