Harriet Kemsley is a very funny woman, which is an enormous advantage given that she is also a professional comedian. Kemsley alleges (and one must always be careful about believing the stories told by comedians, no matter how sweet they may appear) that she was enthusiastically encouraged to try stand-up by her parents, who, after watching ‘Live at the Apollo’, became convinced that a career in comedy would be perfect for their daughter, who is as naturally hilarious and charming as someone can possibly be.
Harriet began trying out her routines at open-mic nights in 2011, despite considerable nerves. Within months of her debut, her stand-up performances were blossoming into full-blown flower shows of silliness and winning comedy competitions. She has since carved out a strong reputation on the UK circuit.
She now co-hosts the brilliant podcast ‘Single Ladies in Your Area’ alongside fellow comedy queen Amy Gledhill, where the duo discuss the horrors of navigating dating in their thirties. Her trademark awkwardness has also reached a wider audience through the comedy battle-royale reality series ‘Last One Laughing’. The competition featured Richard Ayoade, Bob Mortimer and Daisy May Cooper among others. Harriet lasted six episodes without betraying any signs of imminent laughter, eventually cracking up at the sound of her own singing voice.
Her latest stand-up show will feature brand new material and actively encourages sniggering, smirking and laughing out loud.
Tickets, priced at £15.00 in advance, are available at galadurham.co.uk.
