M
any women’s lives just
don’t fit into those rigid
workplace models. Try
being a comedian who’s also
a mother! Late nights and weeks of
touring away from home made career
advancement in an industry that
demands a life unfettered by children
and domestic responsibility very
challenging. That’s why comedians
Mandy Nolan and Ellen Briggs
teamed up to create their popular
touring show Women Like Us – so
the two funny Mums could create a
work schedule that suited their lives
as wives and mothers living in the
NSW country town of Mullumbimby
and still manage to get themselves
on stage to perform for their adoring
crowds around the country.
‘We can’t go away for months at a time
like the blokes do’ laughs Ellen. ‘Someone
has to come home to flush the toilets and
put the towels away.’
business clique
For women both at the peak of their
career Ellen and Mandy realised that
they needed to create their own work
schedule that adapted to their needs
and not the other way around.
Collaboration for them was key. Rather
than working the comedy circuit at
the beck and call of promoters, the
two teamed up to create a two hour
show – one hour by Nolan and one by
Briggs, under the moniker Women Like
Us, and then they formed a business
and booked their show into venues and
festivals around the country.
‘We set our work pace now’ says Mandy.
‘While we still work independently,
Women Like Us has become our core
business’ With the idea of ‘changing
workplace demands the two found
themselves targeting audiences
that were often uninterested and
disengaged from what conventional
comedy clubs had to offer. In essence,
by changing how they worked, they
found a whole new untapped market!
‘Our audiences are predominantly middle
aged women who wanted to see their stories
reframed with humour on stage. They
weren’t really into listening to 23 year old
blokes talking about tinder.’
‘Women Like Us is more than a comedy
show’ says Mandy. ‘It’s a mission! Our
bigger mission is to create a show that
makes women feel good about themselves.
We're building a movement of strong body
positive women. And men come along too.
We’re not a women only show. We’re just
a show with women’s stories front and
centre. Ironically when men do it its called
universal, when we do it - it’s niche!’
has ever asked him that. The other day
the petrol station attendant asked me.
It really annoys me. I was like why? Are
you offering?’
Women Like Us is stand up at its
best , where Ellen and Mandy talk
about housework, chickens, love, big
undies, disappointment, resentment,
sex when you’re drunk, fit bits, yoga
farts and being a menopausal woman
dealing with teenage angst. They’re
overworked, overweight and over it.
Don’t miss it.
They’ve been called charismatic
comedy at it’s best. And they are.
It’s a workout. The girls guarantee
a laugh every 15 seconds. It’s a
relentless barrage of stories and
jokes that leaves audience members
amazed by their ability to not just
deliver, but to create two hours of
world class comedy.
Mandy reflects on the process..
‘Women Like Us happened because
we saw a problem that faced both of
us, then we came up with a solution
and now we’re working more than
most of our colleagues. Changing the
way a workplace operates can really
shake things up!’
Women Like Us is touring Nationally
to a venue near you!
TASMANIA
SYDNEY
BRISBANE
REGIONAL
BOOK MY TICKET
Just this year they released their
co-authored book Women Like Us
nationally with sell out launches
from Melbourne to Sydney to
Brisbane and beyond.
So three years and over 80 Women
Like Us shows later the two women
realise what a game changer taking
charge of their work schedules was
for both them as comedians, but also
for their family. Although Ellen often
notes with irritation how people
always ask ‘who’s looking after the kids’.
‘My husband works away 8 months a
year and has done for 18 years. No one
AUTHOR
MANDY NOLAN
Women Like Us
[email protected]
Women’s Network Magazine
35