This weekend, four women stand-up comics are set to tickle your funny bone as they discuss topics that are considered ‘taboo’
Supriya Joshi
The show is what the name suggests,” says Jeeya Sethi when we ask her for a peek into All Women Do is Talk about Sex. This is a comedy show that will feature four dynamic women — Radhika Vaz, Supriya Joshi, Devanshi Shah, and Urjita Wani — each performing a 10-minute set. Sethi produces a show once every month, most often at Khar’s Tarang Studio, giving a platform to emerging as well as seasoned female comics.
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While women are still negotiating spaces within mainstream comedy rosters, they are also at the receiving end of threats and cyber bullying. More recently, women have been getting asked why all they talk about is sex (other variations may include terms like “vagina”, “breasts”). Taking it head on, Supriya Joshi came up with the idea of making this the theme for the show this month. “We receive comments on our videos saying this is all women do, so I thought let’s own it. It was just me being cheeky,” she tells us.
Devanshi Shah (right) Radhika Vaz. PIC COURTESY/FACEBOOK
Joshi, who can be found through her moniker ‘Supaarwoman’ online, has made her mark by writing numerous sketches, performing at shows such as Queens vs Kings and Ladies Up, and being one of the finalists in Comicstaan Season 2. She has spoken about a wide range of topics that include Internet solutions to heartbreaks such as building a “revenge bod”, people’s take on women drinking alcohol, their obsession with fitness trackers, the art of perfecting the bare minimum, and spotting a Siberian husky in Malad.
Joshi believes that even though the theme of this month’s show was born out of trolling and hate received online, women comedians cannot be looked at as though they are there only to deliver some kind of message. Comedy is a form of entertainment, she comments, and men and women should be provided a level playing field to test their work and think about humour in creative ways. “Women shouldn’t be under any sort of pressure to be different or send out a message just because of their gender. Women doing comedy should be rebellious enough.”
Shah, who has been performing for the last five years and is known for her anecdotal style, agrees with Joshi on this. However, for her own work, she prefers to incorporate themes that are largely taboo. “My aim is to connect with people and hope that they can connect with me, especially everyday working women who face discrimination at work but have to sit quietly. I hope they find their voices in mine.” She plans to test new material at the show, and keeping its tagline in mind, will focus on workplace harassment. An audience coming to watch the show, then, can expect, “Women speaking unabashedly”, and simultaneously, she adds, “Promising an incredibly fun time.”
On: March 5; 9 pm
At: Tarang Studio, Khar Danda
Log on to: in.bookmyshow.com
Cost: Rs 299