“My comedy has grown up… but it’s still completely ridiculous.”
JESSICA Fostekew is a woman of myriad talents.
Besides garnering numerous Chortle Awards for her stand-up, she has also starred in Scrapper, which was awarded the Grand Jury prize at the Sundance Film Festival last year, and is a regular contributor to the smash-hit podcast The Guilty Feminist.
Her comedy, she says, combines glamour and humour in a way which is becoming characteristic.
Her latest show, Mettle, is touring the UK, including a date at Reading’s South Street Arts Centre.
“It’s about digging your heels in a bit, showing a bit of grit,” she explains.
The poster shows Jess in a silver dress with liquid metal dripping around the lower half of her face– a good example of the combination of her sensibilities.
“My favourite images for this one were of alien creatures dripping with metal, which I worked on with the photographer and a brilliant make-up artist.
“And then you have the conversation about how to bring the comedy into it, too, but all in this glamorous, dripping metal.
“But what’s comical about it all as that I don’t look glamorous at any other time– I basically dress up once every year and a half or so.”
She explains that she wanted to reflect a more the more grown-up nature her comedy has undertaken in recent years.
“There are people who want to look silly, or young, or poppy– but though my comedy has grown up, it’s still completely ridiculous.”
Versatility, she argues, is a necessity in the modern age: “There’s always been a bit of a crossover between stand-up and acting.
“But nobody gets rich from stand-up–in fact it’s probably impossible for it to be your sole income now.”
While the access to stand-up has been expanded exponentially through digital and social media, it has changed how comedians make a living.
“The money from the clubs hasn’t really changed since the 90s, and that is what it is, but what it’s worth is peanuts now.”
She explains that things like podcasts have shifted the dynamics of the industry: “It’s really hard to monetise podcasts, actually, but you can build an audience through it in a way that’s a bit less linear.
“People can start touring off of the back of a successful year on TikTok now.
“It’s democratised it all– it’s take things out of the hands of a few producers for TV and radio.”
As is increasingly the case with social media, it comes with cons as well as pros.
“It’s empowering, as it can be monetised, but it leads to things like people with millions of views on their TikTok sketches being booked for more skilled spots.
“Not having done any live work can sometimes jeopardise other acts on the bill.
“I’m so happy for those who have had that astronomical success, people like Jen Brister and Jeff Innocent.
“Jeff’s been doing it for ages, but he’s really having a moment on Instagram, yet he has the chops to back it up– it’s brilliant when it works that way.
“A YouTube star selling out a massive spaces doesn’t always transfer.”
Despite the huge changes to how live events are booked and how comedians come to the attention of their audiences, Jessica says that events couldn’t be replaced entirely.
“Stand-up is a unique thing in that it’s a conversation; the laughter of the audience is what makes it a duologue with the performer.
“There’s a wave of the audience to ride, where you can play with those who are on board, it’s really complicated.
“You can’t ever convey it through a filmed bit of stand-up, it’s just not the same for the audience or the performer–it would be a really sad thing if it ever went away.”
As for what audiences can expect of her new show: “I’ve worked really hard on this show structurally, but it’s like a conveyor belt: it keeps moving.
“There is a bit which is probably the closest to ‘edgy’ I’ll ever get… some people’s step-dads are going to hate it.
“But it will keep me on my toes right until the end of the tour.”
Jessica Fostekew: Mettle is coming to South Street Arts Centre on Thursday, February 22, from 8pm.
Full tour details are available via: jessicafostekew.com
She is also appearing in the latest series of World’s Most Dangerous Roads alongside Desiree Burch, which starts on Dave on Sunday, February 18th.
Her live show Wench is also available to view via: 800poundgorillamedia.com
