Theatre

Katherine Ryan: A comedy role model for a modern generation

“There’s a real heart and warmth to her stand-up, a consistent personal sensibility and sharing of her own experiences, which shows there is just as much substance to her very confident style too.”

I remember the first time I saw Katherine Ryan – it was in Edinburgh at the Pleasance where she performed her debut hour, Little Miss Conception. I sat on the front row and was so excited by this new fresh talent that articulated an honesty I hadn’t quite heard in a while. The show was full of songs, photos of Katherine from childhood through to adolescence, and a wealth of both savvy yet sassy, unique comedy.

Over the past few years, as Katherine has made increasingly more appearances on TV and is now a favourite on many panel shows, often this mainstream popularity can dampen the initial creativity that made talent so exciting when they started out. However, it couldn’t be more encouraging that Katherine’s stand-up has retained the same raw and brutal honesty that I loved so much when I first saw her perform.

Katherine-Ryan

Hers is a comic voice and style that has now evolved with a much more satirical bite; analysing contemporary pop culture and commenting on the not-so-often-heard commentary regarding the general awkwardness of celebrity lifestyle all performed with the same energy and conviction as is embedded into each and every punch-line.

Katherine’s skill at being able to discuss the frivolous nature of modern media whilst fluidly moving to serious and often controversial issues, particularly for women, is a skill not to be ignored. There’s a real heart and warmth to her stand-up, a consistent personal sensibility and sharing of her own experiences, which shows there is just as much substance to her very confident style too.

Katherine is currently on a national tour, which also includes excellent comedians providing support, so you can see this very funny comedian as well as some of the best emerging talent.

Get tickets to Katherine Ryan’s Glam Role Model tour and see her in action.

Or see more of Katherine featured in Sara Shulman’s TEDx talk video below

TEDxUCL - SARA SHULMAN - The power of funny

Like this Blogmaster? Read, listen and see more on Sara Shulman’s Twitter,SoundCloud and YouTube channel, or visit her blog, Comedy Blogedy.