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No matter your sexual preference, navigating marriage can be a challenge. It's important to know where you stand and the power you have in making your relationship your own. Creative powerhouses Sophia and Heleana Blackwell share their experiences as a married same-sex couple, how they handle problems and difficult tasks in their business, and the importance of aligning your marriage with what you want instead of what society expects of you. Tune in to this episode: Wife Material with Sophia and Heleana Blackwell Key points covered in this episode: ✔️ Marriage isn't the endpoint of a relationship. Now that you're committed, it's actually where all the work begins, like learning how to set boundaries, saying no, and exploring each other's different facets. Marriage provides safety and containment for a deeper exploration. ✔️ Marriage needs to be queered, no matter your preference. You don't have to submit to societal conventions. Be empowered to create your own traditions. Feel free to leave aside wedding practices that you don't feel comfortable doing. ✔️ There is happiness and joy in same-sex marriages. It's about time we break the myth that gay relationships are doomed to fail. Sophia and Heleana Blackwell aim to demolish the stereotype and proudly share their journey with the world. ✔️ Couples can make a business relationship work. Sophia and Heleana have recognized each other's strengths and weaknesses. This allows them to easily bounce off their ideas, take breaks, and focus on being a couple when needed. ✔️ Creative collaboration can open up different sides of people. It also encourages trying new things and taking on new challenges that you wouldn't have tried if it weren't with your partner. Whatever your gender identity and sexual preference may be, relationships come with ups and downs. But it's crucial to be firm in your values, know what you want the relationship to look like and how you want it to feel, and curate it to become an adventure that brings joy to you and your partner. Sophia Blackwell is a performance poet, and radio and podcast host for Resonance FM, The Polari Podcast, and Virgin Radio Pride. Her most recent collection with Burning Eye Books, The Other Woman, was longlisted for the Polari Prize. Heleana Blackwell is a stand-up comedian and Max Turner Prize Semi-finalist who has performed at a range of top London nights such as LOL Word at Battersea Arts Centre, Foc it Up at 21 Soho and 2Northdown, as well as at Brighton and Camden Fringes in 2022. Links: Website: www.wifematerial.co.uk Heleana's Instagram: https://instagram.com/h_a_blackwell ———————————————————————————————— ★★★ About Marie-Elizabeth Mali ★★★ Marie-Elizabeth is the founder of Relationship Alchemy, where she helps women near or in midlife reconnect with their deepest desires and truths so they can build lives of passion, purpose and joy without shrinking themselves or dimming their light. She does this through coaching, retreats, and community, using her PassionBody Activation Method. ★ TAKE THE “GROWN-ASS POWER” QUIZ ★ For passionate women having a “Now what?” moment who are ready to turn on their unapologetic power. http://relationshipalchemy.com/power-quiz As the founder of Relationship Alchemy® and the PassionBody Activation™ retreats, and two-time TEDx Speaker, Marie-Elizabeth Mali helps women connect more deeply with themselves and communicate more effectively in their lives and businesses. Her clients transform patterns of thinking and behavior that get in the way of love, connection, and success in relationships and business. Drawing on her Master's degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine and over 20 years of working with clients, she teach women how to show up as authentic leaders in their relationships and work instead of twisting themselves to fit in. Her work has been featured in Thrive Global, SWAAY, and Forbes. Marie-Elizabeth is also a philanthropist and published author with an MFA in Poetry from Sarah Lawrence College, and an underwater photographer who has a thing for sharks. Learn more at https://relationshipalchemy.com.
Winner of 2Northdown's New Act Competition 2022 John Tothill is bringing his highly-anticipated debut stand-up hour ‘The Last Living Libertine' to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, performing at Pleasance Courtyard Below at 8.30pm throughout the festival. Join John Tothill, the Last Living Libertine [citation needed], for his debut hour dedicated to the pursuit of pleasure, full of exaggeration, emancipation and historical speculation. Performed by a gushing bon vivant (and Year 4 teacher), with an aptitude for flights of fancy and a revulsion for the mundane (specifically meal prep), let your cups overflow with this mix of cabaret and TEDTalk (aka stand-up comedy) featuring almost exclusively sleepover-style gossip. Come for the comedy; stay for the leopard print. John says: “To bring my show to this, the last ever Edinburgh Fringe, means so much, not just to me but to my community (classically trained clarinettists who were in bottom-set PE and now teach English). Here I am, on my knees, begging you to pour yourself a glass of incredibly dry white wine (or very pale rosé, that's fine too) and come to my conventionally attractive, highly educational show all about pleasure, where crucially you will learn nothing, but for a moment you could forget everything.” John Tothill is an actor and comedian, who is now taking the UK comedy scene by storm having won 2Northdown's New Act Competition in 2022. John has performed at The Upright Citizen's Brigade in New York and Second City Chicago, as part of his sketch troupe. This show is directed by and dedicated to the late Adam Brace. -ENDS- JOHN TOTHILL: THE LAST LIVING LIBERTINE Venue: Pleasance Courtyard, Below Date & time: Weds 2nd to Sun 27th August (excluding 15th) at 8.30pm Duration: 60 minutes Tickets: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/john-tothill-the-last-living-libertine YOU CAN FIND MORE OF JOHN AT: Web: https://campsite.bio/johntothill Instagram: @johntothill TikTok: @johntothill --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gemma-louise-hirst/message
2Northdown's New Act Competition 2021 finalist Paddy Young is set to bring his highly-anticipated debut stand-up comedy hour ‘Hungry, Horny, Scared' to the Fringe, performing at Pleasance Baby Grand at 9.35pm, throughout the festival. Following sell-out previews at the 2022 Fringe, Northern scamp Paddy Young's debut show mixes his charismatic, cult leader vibe with the inevitable reality that underneath it all he is hungry, horny and scared (aren't we all?). Upon leaving a nightmare flatshare to move back in with his parents, Paddy is confronted with a spectacle that disturbingly resembles himself: Thor, a wanking walrus, stranded on Scarborough beach (it's real, look it up). Join Paddy as he asks the hard-hitting questions: is everyone in his generation going to die still living in a flatshare? If Hitler was on drugs, how bad was his comedown? And what happens to TikTok families after their 15 minutes of fame? Let's face it, Paddy is in the gutter, but he's looking down on all of you. Paddy is a comedian and actor, who is quickly becoming one of comedy's fastest rising stars, having appeared on Channel 4, ITV2, Sky and Stewart Lee's recommendation list. Paddy makes daft videos that somehow have been viewed over 10 million times, occasionally teaming up with fellow comedians Horatio Gould and Ed Night, covering everything from King Charles at an afters, navigating housemate dynamics, to a posh actor in a Northern film. Paddy regularly performs comedy across the UK, including shows at Machynlleth Comedy Festival, the Cambridge Fringe, the Brighton Fringe and with ‘A Lovely Time' in Manchester. Paddy hosts his own sell out night ‘Rodeo' in London, which he's bringing to the 2023 Fringe for a limited run. He has performed at O2 Shepherd's Bush alongside comedians James Acaster and Mark Watson in a special one-off show ‘A Night for Ukraine'. He has also just returned from a mini US tour with BBC New Comedy Award Winner 2022 Dan Tiernan with dates in New York, Chicago and Nashville. -ENDS- WHAT PEOPLE HAVE SAID ABOUT PADDY: “Hilarious. One of the funniest men online” Seann Walsh ★★★★ Lancashire Post PADDY YOUNG: HUNGRY, HORNY, SCARED Venue: Pleasance Courtyard, Baby Grand Date & time: Weds 2nd to Sun 27th Aug (excluding 14th) at 9.35pm Duration: 60 minutes Tickets: www.tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/paddy-young-hungry-horny-scared YOU CAN FIND MORE OF PADDY AT: Instagram: @paddyisyoung Twitter: @paddyisyoung TikTok: @paddy.and.ed --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gemma-louise-hirst/message
In this episode, I talk to the great comedian and impressionist, JOSH BERRY about his comedy career. Berry came to prominence at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2018 and 2019 with his solo shows Voice Thief in 2018 and Josh Berry: Who Does He Think He Is? In 2019. His extraordinary talent for impersonation includes politicians, sports stars, and fellow comedians. In 2019, when Boris Johnson became British Prime Minister, Berry created Rafe Hubris, a conceited, public school educated special government adviser. The lampooning character was a massive success and Berry incorporated him into many of his live stand-up shows and projects. I have seen Berry perform work-in-progress shows at the Leicester Comedy Festival in 2020 and at 2Northdown in London in 2021. Thank you so much for listening to my podcast, if you like what you hear, please subscribe and I hope you enjoy the interview. Please read Josh Berry's blog at: www.arichcomiclife.blog/2020/02/16/josh-berry/ Josh Berry's Links: Facebook: www.facebook.com/JoshBerryImpressions Twitter: www.twitter.com/JoshBerryComedy Instagram: www.instagram.com/joshberrycomedy/ Website: www.joshberryofficial.com
Suchandrika Chakrabarti hosts, with regular panellists Brian Logan and Jamal Khadar. Topics include:An interview with comedian and writer Athena Kugblenu about her experience of, and views on, comedy criticismComedy albums as a form, and how comedicans are trying to get more equitable rights payments from SpotifyDon't Look Up (Netflix) - critics hated it, one of our panellists loves it .... But is it funny?LinksAziz Ansari's Empty Authenticity - review discussed at start of episodeAthena Kugblenuhttps://twitter.com/athenakugblenuhttps://www.instagram.com/athenakugblenu/Athena's Cancel Culture on BBC Sounds: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000tsldWork In Progress at 2Northdown on 4th February:Comedy albums & SpotifyIt's time to give a new generation of comics a crack at the Grammys Spotify removes top comedians' content in royalty payments disputeIncidental music during interview: Lukrembo ‘Onion' and ‘Cheese'
Welcome to HOOVERING, the podcast about eating. Host, Jessica Fostekew (Guilty Feminist, Motherland) has a frank conversation with an interesting person about gobbling; guzzling; nibbling; scoffing; devouring and wolfing all up… or if you will, hoovering.In this episode I'm hoovering with comedian, clown, performance artist, teacher and person who I became close mates with in the weirdest ever way, she was the much much younger new girlfriend of an ex-boyfriend who'd very very broken my heart so it's BONKERS that we became friends but we DID. She's a wild soul, a truly free creative cat and it was an absolute ride taking her for dinner down at Lewisham's trendy ‘Model Market'Everything written below in CAPITALS is a link to the relevant webpage. Honourable Mentions/ LinksHer website is THEELFLYONS dot com and she's HERE on instagramShe hosts a night called HOUSE OF HORRORS at 2Northdown in Kings Cross, LondonWe ate at Lewishams amazing MODEL MARKET and I can't link directly to the food vendors because neither are on the blooming website at the moment annoyingly but go there- eat - please. There's amazing, ever changing guest pop-up street foods and it's fucking delicious, all of it. Inferior food outlets we mentioned were WIMPY and BURGER KING as well as MACDONALDSShe nodded to the beautiful novel GIRL, WOMAN, OTHERLets not forget the mighty OCEAN HOTELNor, indeed, GILLINGHAM ICE RINK which thankfully, being made of ice, has managed to not burn downComedians PHIL ELLIS and JOHN-LUKE ROBERTSThis, if you didn't know, is THE OVERLOOK and this is JACK TORRANCEShe did the BERRY BROTHERS wine course. And she was deeply enamoured with the glorious sounding DE LIETO bakery in BrixtonSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/hoovering. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Comedian, Tom Allen joins me for a Christmas special edition of the podcast - recorded live in front of an audience at 2Northdown in London! Be sure to follow the podcast @dickspod See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
December Gigs! The Lion King (Podcast recording) Dec 3rd, 4th at Whelan's: https://eventbrite.ie/e/dreamgun-film-reads-the-lion-king-tickets-77317495711 Die Hard (London). Dec 13th at 2Northdown: https://tickettext.co.uk/2-northdown/dreamgun-film-reads-13122019/ The Christmas Binge. Dec 19th - 21st at Smock Alley Theatre: https://smockalley.com/dreamgun-film-reads-christmas/
Performed by Dreamgun and a bunch of Cat Laughs Comedians who haven’t read the script beforehand. We’re going to need an adequately sized fishing vessel. Featuring: Stephen Colfer, Heber Hanly, Ed Sammon, Hannah Mamalis, Tony Cantwell, Ronan Carey And Special Guests: Alison Spittle, Carlo Ritchie, Steen Raskopolus, David O'Doherty, Jack Gleeson, Nish Kumar, Rose Matafeo and Dara Ó Briain as Jaws. We’ll be returning to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival with the complete collection of Film Reads. A different film every night at Underbelly Bristo Square. August 1st - 25th Tickets and Full schedule at: http://www.underbellyedinburgh.co.uk We’ll then return to the Dublin Fringe with 7 classic Film Reads and a brand new Film Read of The Lion King for kids and adults who can’t let go of their childhoods. Tickets at http://www.fringefest.com FINALLY. We’re starting monthly Film Reads in London. Starting with a Film Read of Spider-Man on October 11th at 2Northdown. Tickets at https://www.tickettext.co.uk
This week's guest let's me cover a couple of bases at once, with character comedian Simon Brodkin (@SimonBrodkin) aka Lee Nelson joining me! We kick things off talking about being Jewish on stage and off in the UK, a dash of Seinfeld history and then his past career as a Doctor in Manchester. He made a clean break and decided to become a character comedian - no overlap, never done a gig, not even a play at high school - and moved to London to get it done. And he did it almost immediately, it's an insane story. We also talk about how a North Londoner from a comfortable background can transform believably into Lee Nelson (@RealLeeNelson), a cheeky lad from South London wearing polo shirts and hats (hint: it's all about watching people on the tube). Simon is still touring as Lee Nelson with dates on his website http://leenelson.com/ and you can catch him performing as himself around London's comedy clubs. If you enjoyed the podcast pleas shoot us 5 stars and subscribe, you can follow us on Twitter @TheUnionJackOff and email us on theunionjackoff@gmail.com. Daniel Muggleton (@danmuggleton) is a doing a preview April 5th at 2Northdown, London and Australia Comedians / Dope Comedy is on April 7th at Backyard Comedy Club. Apologies to Seinfeld fans, ‘The Contest' is Season 4 Episode 10.
On the podcast this week is Welsh husband, DILF and funny boy Robin Morgan (@robinjaymorgan)! For those of you who don't know, I like hating Wales - so do many English people - so I got the most likeable person I could find to sell it to me. I talk to Robin about how he should be Christian, his parents meeting in Brighton, getting into comedy through tending bar at a comedy club, and plenty of good Welsh stuff (naming celebrities, national history, how they fit into the UK, Family Guy's Welsh racism - all of it!). In addition to comedy, Robin's also a very in-demand writer for television with a couple of pilots on the go, you can check out on BBC iPlayer in February - keep up with everything he's doing at www.robinjmorgan.co.uk Get in touch with me @danmuggleton on Instagram and Twitter, you can get my special on my website www.danielmuggleton.com and the details for the Launch Party January 8th at 2Northdown are here. Please review us on iTunes, subscribe and tell a friend! #TheUnionJackOff
Happy 2019 to everybody, we'll call this a soft open as it's just a quick chat this week before we get back to it on Monday with a guest and more UK talk. I thought after year it's probably worth sitting down and having a chat about what's changed and what hasn't after living in London for a full year. It's a bit of ramble, but I manage to get through some thoughts on: accents, the food, the weather, drinking culture, London itself and a couple of things guests have said that I've taken to heart. Thanks for listening in 2018, I promise even bigger/more interesting guests in 2019! If you've got any suggestions or questions, please get in touch at @danmuggleton on Twitter & Instagram. As mention, Australian Comedians / Dope Comedy runs in London the first Sunday of every month with the next show January 6th, you can buy tickets right here. My special 'Let's Never Hang Out' comes out January 8th (album January 11th), you can pre-order it at www.danielmuggleton.com and tickets to the launch at 2Northdown in Kings Cross are available here.
Our first chaotic live episode, recorded at 2Northdown, London. John and Jude have just come from seeing A New Hope at the Royal Albert Hall the night before and you’ll hear about the people sat around us, Jude’s disappointment at the musical gaps in the movie and our pathetic attempts at self-promotion. John is convinced Mark Hamill has been cast in The Walking Dead, and he’s got evidence to prove it. You heard it here first! With very little Star Wars news to cover Jude shares his pants in the face story and you’ll also hear about the worst thing John has ever done. We’ve got lots of prizes to give away, so Jude was joined on stage by audience member and legendary cosplayer Leigh Hawker for a round of Who Wants To Win A Million Credits. In the second half of the show, were joined by Bradie and Raj for a look at Raj’s Star Wars amateur dramatics and we provide a commentary over the highlights from the Star Wars Holiday Special. Thank you to everyone who travelled so far to join us at this live show, we had the most incredible time and it was a pleasure to meet so many of you after the show. We recorded the audio from two sources, one straight from the sound desk and one capturing the ambience of the room. Massive thanks to Sam and everyone at 2Northdown for their amazing support and production assistance.
Archaeologist and broadcaster who loves dinosaurs Raksha Dave. A lovely interview covering her time on Time Team, diversity in archaeology and a host of other things Follow her @Raksha_Digs, it's well worth it Music is by From the Ashes contact me via @Askanarch 18th November 2018- 2NorthDown for A Practical guide to Attacking Castles I don't want to change the world, I'm not looking for a new England..
The monthly sketch showcase Sketch Please returns with a new presenter, a new cast and a brand new batch of your finest comic writing. Katharine Kerr (@katkerrradio) is joined for nutty chat and by David Sylvester, Kerrie Thomason, Raphael von Blumenthal and Steve Garland. David Sylvester is musician, performer, comedian and artist from London. He’s an improv comedian, and musical badass who plays guitar, drums, bass and piano https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCW2LjGeJJ-JsawXsdFaeFtw?view_as=subscriber https://www.youtube.com/user/BeautalityOfficial https://twitter.com/dershapeshifter Kerrie Thomason is from Edinburgh, Scotland, and achieved a First Class honours in Musical Theatre at Blackpool School of Creative Arts. Kerrie has worked with the likes of Tim Key, and is also the show manager at 2NorthDown (a comedy venue in Kings Cross) She’s worked in comedy from sketch to stand up. She’s also part of the all-female theatre company SWIPERIGHT which was a hit at Edinburgh last year and is working on its next show right now. https://twitter.com/KerrieThomason https://twitter.com/swiperightTC https://www.swiperighttheatre.com Raphael von Blumenthal is an actor, stand up comedian and writer. His short films, viral videos and online sketches, co-written with and directed by Sam Baron have over 4 million views online, have been screened at BAFTA qualifying film festivals, and have been featured on among others the BBC, Channel 4 and Sky One. He is represented by APM Associates. Raphael can be seen in a supporting role in the 2017 comedy feature Demain Tout Commence (Two's a Family), featuring Omar Sy and Clémence Poésy. He comperes Rich Gifts Theatre's Deadline: 24 Hour Plays, and regularly performs stand up comedy. raphaelvonb.com https://twitter.com/Raphvb?lang=en Steve Garland is an actor, comedy performer and writer. He also runs an all-female pro comedian comedy night in Angel called Hysterical Women which raises money for Women’s Aid. https://twitter.com/LadyGarland33 https://twitter.com/hysteric_women This month we feature the below sketches with the following casting: The History of Things by Leonie Rachel Announcer - Steve Joel (Husband) - David Mrs Houghton - Kerrie One of the Lads by Carol Walsh Sarah - Kerrie Steve - Steve Paul - David Dennis - Raphael Saw Paws by Alf Oldman Vet - Steve First Pet Owner - David Second Pet Owner - Raphael Vicar - Raphael Narrator - Kerrie British Transport Poem by Ellie Fulcher Passenger - David National Rail - Steve Offline Banking by Chris Ballard Recorded voice - Kerrie Cashier - David Customer - Raphael Gun Mom by Lauren Overpeck Ms Jenn - Kerrie Boy - David Antiques Roadshow Spoof by Andrew Fawn Expert - Kerrie Milennial - David Grandad - Steve Dead Funny - Elliot Stewart Fred - Raphael Vicar - Steve YOU can take part in Sketch Please! Whether you’ve written an audio sketch or want to flex your voice acting muscles, just drop Katharine a note at sketchplease@podcastpioneers.com and put either ’Sketch’ or ‘Performer’ in the subject box. The deadline for August’s episode is Sunday 22nd July at midnight. Tell us a little about you, or if you’re submitting sketches, please keep it as close to two or three pages as possible, and number the pages so we don’t get ourselves in a papery flutter come recording day! And because we only feature 7 or 8 sketches per episode we will often hold sketches over to subsequent months to fit it all in, so don’t lose heart if we don’t feature your sketch this month! You can join us on twitter by following @sketchpleasepod or keep up to dates at podcastpioneers.com