Women's Views on News |
- Comedy business celebrates first birthday
- Events 13 May – 19 May 2013
- Sports round-up: 6-12 May
- UK drops rank in Mothers’ Index
| Comedy business celebrates first birthday Posted: 13 May 2013 08:36 AM PDT
Women's comedy business What The Frock! will celebrate its first birthday this weekend, with a bumper comedy fest featuring, among others, funny women Tiffany Stevenson, Bethany Black and Jayde Adams. The Bristol-based business was launched by Jane Duffus, a journalist and blogger, after her blog post about TV panel shows went viral in January 2012. "There was a lot of tension at the time about shows like Mock The Week rarely booking any women, and there was a lot of discussion about the absence of women in comedy going on," Duffus told Women's Views on News recently. "It made me realise that it was hard to see female comedians in clubs anywhere, and it became a case of putting my money where my mouth was and doing it myself." The first What The Frock! comedy night took place on 18 May 2012, as part of the Bristol Festival of Ideas, and has since evolved into a full-time business venture. Duffus said: "I really can't thank the Festival enough for helping What The Frock! get started, and I'm very pleased to be doing an event with them on May 18 as part of their 2013 festival." The anniversary gig for the Bristol Festival of Ideas will take place at the Arnolfini, compered by Luisa Omielan, with sets from Tiffany Stevenson and Bethany Black. But before all that, the celebrations kick off on Friday night with the What The Frock! birthday party at The Square Club, Bristol. Hosted by regular Frock! compere Jayde Adams, the birthday party will feature performances from Viv Groskop, Alice Frick, Sophie Johnson and Charlie Benson, plus plenty of other treats. Ms Duffus said: "We've got free birthday cakes, sweets, special "Frock! On" badges and tons of other stuff. “There's a birthday present for the first 15 people to arrive on the night, and we're doing a raffle for Bristol charity One25, who we've proudly fundraised about £500 for in the past year." What The Frock! certainly has plenty to celebrate – in January, after three pilot comedy nights, Duffus began running it as a business, and the show took up monthly residency at The Square Club. "It just seemed the natural progression. All the shows sell out, the events have had some national attention, the momentum is there, and people want to be a part of it," Duffus said. "There's a lot of good will for What The Frock! locally, which is fantastic, and there's a few faces who I've seen at every single event I've put on." Just two months later, in March, What The Frock! was profiled on BBC Radio 4's Women's Hour and hosted a comedy show at the Royal Festival Hall in London as part of the Women of the World Festival. Celebrating International Women's Day with the Women of the World gig has been "the absolute highlight" so far for Duffus: "It was our biggest crowd, and when else am I going to be sandwiched on a line-up between Jenni Murray and Sandi Toksvig?!" Despite the financial challenge of running a small business, and the geographical challenge of booking London-based comics for her shows in Bristol, Duffus has big plans for the future of What The Frock!, including more focus on nurturing up-and-coming women comics. "We launched our Open Mic Award in March, and the competition night is June 5. “I was staggered that all 17 places were filled within 24 hours, and I've sadly since had to turn a lot of people down," she said. In the autumn What The Frock! branch out to Exeter on 26 October, and there is the launch of a Live at St Georges series in Bristol, on 19 October, with a triple-bill of comedy from Sara Pascoe, Shazia Mirza, and one more act yet to be confirmed. "There are a ton of other plans as well, some of which are so secret I can't tell you about in print," Duffus said. "But rest assured that they are very exciting and will guarantee that people realise the wims can be a bit funny, and that comedy by women isn't just for women audiences. Far from it!" What The Frock!'s first birthday party is on 17 May, at The Square Club, Bristol. Tickets are £15 on the door or £12 when booked in advance. On 18 May, What The Frock! will be at the Arnolfini, Bristol, for a showcase gig as part of the Bristol Festival of Ideas. Tickets are £12 pounds. To purchase, click here.  |
| Posted: 13 May 2013 03:50 AM PDT
19 May No More Page 3 Flash Mob Sun HQ, London, 2pm. Flash mobs are also being planned in Brighton and Belfast.
Entertainment: 7 May-25 May The Gut Girls Space, London. E14 The Gut Girls is a fantastic representation of Victorian oppression and early feminism. The play centres around the lives of 5 young women working 13 hours a day in the gutting sheds. Unmarried and ostracised by polite society for their vocation and unrefined manners, the girls compensate by earning adequate salaries, reveling in their independence and putting by a few bob for extravagant hats. 16 May SHE BOP presents Gasoline Thrill, Maid of Ace, and Sean Bean Death Scene The Lady Luck, St. Peters Street, Canterbury SHE BOP is an event celebrating girl bands, grrl rock and female artists from the 1950s to the present day. Also showcasing female-fronted bands from Kent and beyond. 16 May “Freedom”: A Night of Poetry in Support of EWRSAC The Blind Poet Public House, Edinburgh A fantastic group of poets will be performing original pieces which in some way relate to the idea of freedom. All donations will be going to Edinburgh Women’s Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre. 18 May What the Frock? Women’s Comedy Night Arnolfini, Bristol Comedy showcase with a headline set from Tiffany Stevenson, support from Bethany Black, and Luisa Omielan as MC Lectures/Debates: 16 May “Anti-Porn: The Resurgence of Anti-Pornography Feminism”, Bookmarks the Socialist Bookshop, 1 Bloomsbury Street, London, WC1B Julia Long explains the comeback of anti-porn feminism, and controversially challenges liberal perspectives and the mainstreaming of a porn culture that threatens to change the very nature of our intimate relationships. 19 May “The Sexual Revolution – Progress or Decadence?”: A debate with Linda Grant Watershed, Bristol As part of Bristol’s Festival of Ideas, Peter Hitchens, Mail on Sunday columnist and author of books on drugs, religion and liberty, debates the sexual revolution and its impact with Linda Grant, feminist, novelist and commentator whose books include Sexing the Millennium: A Political History of the Sexual Revolution and We Had It So Good, a portrait of the baby boomers and their legacy. 19 May “Fifty Shades of Feminism” Arnolfini, Bristol Fifty years after the publication of The Feminine Mystique, have women really exchanged purity and maternity to become desiring machines inspired only by variations of sex, shopping and masochism – all coloured a brilliant neuro-pink? InFifty Shades of Feminism, 50 women – young and old, writers, politicians, actors, scientists, mothers – reflect on the shades of feminism that inspired them and what being woman means to them today. Two of the editors – Lisa Appignaesi and Rachel Holmes – join two of the contributors – Bidisha and Linda Grant – to discuss some of the issues raised about being a feminist today. 19 May London Irish Women’s Network hosts an afternoon focussed on the Magdalene Feminist Library, Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 The keynote speaker is Mary Lodato, who is writing a PhD on her personal journey of survival, redress and recovery, charting the childhood experience of institutional abuse in an Industrial School which had a Magdalene Laundry attached to it. Some of Mary’s artwork will be on display and Survivor poet, Emer Keefe, will read poetry. Sport: 18 May London Rollergirls – Season 5 Championship Bout Tottenham Green Leisure Centre, London. N15 Watch Harbour Grudges take on Suffra Jets for third place, then Steam Rollers versus Ultraviolent Femmes for the top spot.  |
| Posted: 13 May 2013 03:30 AM PDT
Tennis: It has been a changeable week for British number one Laura Robson, both on and off the court. Robson took three sets to beat Magdalena Rybarikova in the first round of the Mutua Madrid Open on May 6, a less than encouraging start against a player ranked 48th in the world. However, in the second round Robson defied her detractors and her recent run of inconsistent results with an outstanding straight sets win over number four seed Agnieszka Radwanska, during which Robson broke serve five times. The win against last year's Wimbledon runner-up was only her second victory against a top 10 player this season. Yet she was unable to capitalise on this career-best victory, falling to Serbian former world number 1 Ana Ivanovic in the third round. Robson led 5-2 in the final set, but was unable to seal the win. Robson also announced this week that she has split with her coach Zeljko Krajan. Robson hired the Croatian after last year's Wimbledon, and during their partnership she rose to a career high ranking of number 38 last month. However, the relationship was clearly not a harmonious one. Krajan, who is known as a hard taskmaster, laid the blame for the breakdown at Robson's door, accusing the 19 year old of lacking maturity. "The mentality is different. I did expect more from Laura but when it doesn't go that way any more it is not the time to stay. "She was not mature enough to do this kind of work enough times for me. She needed to be more serious and to commit herself more. "She had to do this every day, not only in the big tournaments." For the time being, Robson will work with Sven Groeneveld, a coach with the Adidas Player Development programme. Despite her recent inconsistent results, Robson has her sights set firmly on the challenges ahead. At number 41 in the world, Robson is within striking distance of seeding at Wimbledon next month. A good performance at next week's Italian Open, or at Roland Garros at the end of the month, would give her a good chance of being one of the 32 seeds for the first time. "I could avoid a seed in the first round and really try to do some damage on the grass," Robson told the Independent. "If you're not seeded you always end up playing Serena Williams in the first round. But it definitely takes a lot of hard work to get there." Football: The Women's Super League kicked into another gear this week. Liverpool Ladies delivered a stunning performance against Arsenal on May 7, defeating the defending champions 4-0. It was Arsenal's first WSL loss since 2011. American midfielder Amanda Da Costa scored the first goal in the 37th minute, followed by a second in the opening minutes of the second half. Within minutes, goals from Natasha Dowie and Louise Fors had secured an unassailable, if unexpected, lead for Liverpool. The victory briefly secured Liverpool a spot at the top of the table, while the usually all-conquering Arsenal remain joint bottom with Doncaster Rovers Belles. In the second match of the week, Lincoln Ladies were defeated 2-0 by Everton on May 8. Lincoln started well, but a mistake by England goalkeeper Karen Bardsley allowed Brooke Chaplen an easy goal. Lincoln fought back, but Everton's win was sealed in the 89th minute with a goal from Nikita Parris. On May 9, Bristol Academy secured a 3-1 win over Doncaster Rovers Belles, while on May 12, Chelsea pipped Liverpool to a 2-1 win. Chelsea finished the week at the top of the table, with Liverpool and Bristol both just one point behind. Triathlon: British triathlete Jodie Stimpson earned her first World Series podium this week, taking third place in the series event in Yokohama, Japan, behind Gwen Jorgensen of the USA and Australia's Emma Moffatt. "I couldn't be happier," Stimpson said. "I tried to stay with Gwen but I couldn't. Her legs are up to my armpits!" Athletics: Christine Ohuruogu began her Diamond League season with a third place finish in the 400m in Doha on May 10. Ohuruogu's time was a season's best of 50.53, but she was beaten to the line by Botswana's Amantle Montsho and the imperious American Allyson Felix. London 2012 silver medallist Ohuruogu has only ever won one Diamond League gold medal, last year at Crystal Palace. However, she and her coach have targeted a full Diamond League programme this year for the first time in her career.  |
| UK drops rank in Mothers’ Index Posted: 13 May 2013 01:09 AM PDT
International charity Save the Children ranked 176 countries according to maternal health and under-five mortality, as well as women's education, income and political status. Finland, Sweden and Norway took the top three places. The UK is ranked 23rd, down 13 places from last year. The USA came in at 30 because it has the ‘highest first-day death rate in the industrialised world'. The Democratic Republic of Congo was identified as the worst place to be a mother. Women there have a one-in-30 chance of dying from maternal causes, whereas in Finland the risk is just one-in-12,200. Save the Children believes that poverty, war and a lack of nutrition are to blame for high mother and infant mortality rates in the region. The charity partly attributes the UK's poor ranking to the lack of women in parliament. Only 22 per cent of the UK’s MPs are women and there are very few women in cabinet, so issues that are important to children and mothers are less likely to be considered at a national level. The UK's relatively poor maternal and infant mortality rates also influenced its ranking. Babies born in the UK are at a greater risk of dying before their fifth birthday than children in 21 other European countries, including Cyprus, Portugal and the Czech Republic, all three of which have lower GDPs than the UK. Women in the UK face a higher risk of dying during pregnancy or childbirth than women in Lithuania, Montenegro and Slovakia. Save the Children claims that there are three key reasons for these shocking statistics. With a high rate of teenage pregnancy and an increasing number of women using IVF, the UK has a greater proportion of young and old mothers than many other European countries. Poverty is also a factor as women with unemployed partners are six times more likely to die from complications during pregnancy or childbirth than those with partners who work. Rising health risks in the UK, particularly obesity and cardiac arrest, have a similar effect. Responding to these findings, Save the Children has called on the UK government to increase universal access to healthcare, and the Royal College of Midwives has requested 5,000 more midwives to address the country’s current shortage of midwives. Louise Silverton, director of midwifery at the Royal College of Midwives said: "Women giving birth here are becoming more complex, older and giving birth later, and are more socially and culturally diverse. "All these factors require more time and energy from midwives." Reflecting on the report as a whole, Justin Forsyth, chief executive of Save the Children, said: "Overall the world has made unprecedented progress in reducing child and maternal deaths. "But within the progress, there are two big challenges – newborns and malnutrition. “We can end child and maternal mortality in our generation – by using tried and tested interventions to stop mothers and babies being lost from what should be simple preventable causes." He added: "The G8 in June, chaired by the Prime Minister [David Cameron], has a critical opportunity to tackle hunger which accounts for a third of child deaths. He must make sure we seize this opportunity." With one million babies dying each year on the day they are born, childbirth remains one of the most dangerous times for children and women – in both developing and industrialised nations.  |
| You are subscribed to email updates from Women's Views on News To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |