Sign-Ups now open!: https://unfur.ly/Is2EJw

Come to the nest, Ugly Duckling. You may be lost, you may not know where to go, what to do, fear not.

Swanling, there is a great voice within you, all you need is a space to speak it. A great soothing gift, the gift of laughter.

When presented with the threat of fascism what we can do is express the strangest, queerest, most beautiful and disgusting performances of art - wherever there is a space to express we should take that opportunity.
Comedy has great power both to soothe and empower, and who you give that power to, has the potential to upheave society.

Focusing on the areas in which comedy is hostile as an industry to, namely, Queer, Trans, Transfem, BiPoC, disabled, religious minority, displacement status, sex workers just to name a few, it is the belief that we access a more complete vision of our own society while learning to laugh from people who have had to rely on that comedic skill in often deadly scenarios.

There is an often understated value in making a space Queer.
We do not believe Queer is just a marker for a ticket analytics, Queerness is expressing and existing outside of the oppressive norm and revelling in that both joint and self obtained freedom. For a space to be Queer it must be for all Queers. We are only as accessible as our least accessible.
Queer people do all to some degree experience mental, physical and emotional threats from multiple random directions, often daily. To create a space for Queer people to exist in is often the only difference between seeing that person or not. So it is our intention to remain committed to that goal.

There is such a diversity of Queer expression, and often when placed through the lenses of the patriarchy, it loses a significant and necessary part, crucial for understanding our truth, our history, our reality.

If you have five minutes of Queer expression, of any variety of comedy experimentation, designed to make people laugh, please do sign up and support the project. Anyone can if they work within these parameters, and remain committed to the "punch up not down" people's comedy code.

As a comedian or an audience member, it is strongly encouraged that you dress to express yourself vividly, as strange, perhaps, surreal creatures, expansive drag and fashion, express anything queerly just not quietly!

Ugly Ducklings is free to Gut Level members, which have a sliding scale support starting from as little as £2.

 Support of Gut Level makes this sort of project a reality, suggested donation is £5

More information can be found at @UglyDucklingQueerComedy on Instagram or emailing RosemaryHughesActing@gmail.com