Greenwich Visitor THE
May 2011 Page 3 MAKE TWO GREAT COMEDY DATES IN GREENWICH
You’ve been together for a year now. Where did the name Vinegar Knickers come from? Jen Moon: An unfortunate incident late
night at a chippie on the Old Kent Road. Katie Burnetts: We used to argue a lot
over condiments. Sam Baines: I actually prefer cheese and mayonnaise on my chips. Jen: Me too. Katie: We were going to go with mayonnaise but Harriet is egg intolerant. Harriet Fisher: I like ketchup. Katie: So we had to go with Vinegar. How did you all meet? Jen: Harriet and I met at drama school,
don’t you know, darling. Harriet: We were pretending to be trees
and our eyes met across the forest of drama students. In that moment we knew... Sam: What? Jen: That the exercise was ridiculous
and we should go into comedy of course! Sam: Right, well. Mine was less of an epiphany, I auditioned for Jen and Harriet and was obviously absolutely hilarious. Who in comedy inspires you? Sam: French and Saunders!! Katie: Sam loves Dawn French. Jen: She recorded herself reading
Dawn’s autobiography. Sad. Sam: It’s not sad. One day when Dawn
They’re loud, gassy and definitely not pants! Samantha Kent meets four-woman comedy group Vinegar Knickers before their Greenwich gig
hears it she will cry and say that we are meant to be together (in a make each other laugh way). Jen: So anyway, we also like the Monty
Python, Robin Williams, Jim Carrey, David Jason, Julia Davis, Matt Berry. Katie: It’s Nicolo Fiesta for me. You all write your own sketches, so
where do you find your inspiration? Jen: People falling over is pretty funny. Katie: Loads of stuff’s funny but not everything goes with chips. Vinegar Knickers are clearly a group of
funny ladies, but why aren’t there very many funny women out there? Harriet:There are so many women going
for it and being hilarious at the moment: Issy Sutti, Laura Solon, Carly Smallman, Lady Garden. We’ve just got to keep our nerve and keep going for it! Sam: We also need to take up the baton
from our predecessors (yes Dawn French is one) and do it for young funny women. Katie: We are so on that! Sam: We have taken the baton and we
are twirling it Jen: In a pageant Harriet: And wearing a sequin leotard.
“YOU smell different than others.” It’s a chat-up line that takes me completely by surprise. All I can do is laugh and hope the next two minutes, 58 seconds will not be so bizarre. Next at my small table at dimly-lit Up
The Creek’s Comedy Speed Dating are city bankers and two guys twice my age. Topics are as varied as the crowd. Some
discussions find no connection; some would carry on easily after the demanding sound of the klaxon. Next I meet a guy who asks all the
wome n t h e s ame q u e s t i o n a n d systematically fills in his scorecard. He seems to be on a mission to find a partner for himself. There are around fifteen men to be dated
tonight – two have to wait their turn due to shortage of women. Half way through we head to the bar for
an interval. It is hard work trying to get to know so many people in so little time! But so far I have ticked ‘Yes’ to three guys. To my di s appointment , J ame s
Goldsbury’s comedy act has been saved for last. Another half of dating passes incredibly
quickly. We’re more relaxed now and talk about common interests rather than sticking with questions and answers mode. James Goldsbury’s witty humour and energetic act ended the night with laughter.
Love is in the..urgh!
You can speed date with a difference in Greenwich. Vilma Lindell finds out if laughter really can lead to love
I didn’t realise until he stepped on the stage that I had dated him as well! Event organiser Polly McGirr says
traditional speed dating needed some additional fun into it. “Myself and a co-worker went along to
speed dating night in town costing £20. It was the most terrible experience. It felt stagnant and strict, and £20 for a night like that is extortion.” So, Up The Creek put comedy in the
mix and offered it for a fiver. At times forty men and forty
women have tried to meet The One at the Wednesday dating night. “Now we keep it to twenty men and twenty women, otherwise it’s too much,” says Polly. “Last time we did this, six people ended up going clubbing in New Cross and that’s exactly the idea of it,” says Polly. “And one couple went home together.” My night was filled with
Creek Road. Supermap ref: H3.
WHERE WHEN
Up The Creek
Speed dating: Last Wednesday of the month. Vinegar Knickers perform their Edinburgh Fringe show Sketchy Beast on Thursday May 5, 7.30
laughter and fun, and resulted in one match – who knows if he’s The One!
HOT PANTS: Harriet, Sam, Katie (below) and Jen
Picture: Jamie Baker
Picture: Alexandra Watson
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