Derry comedy duo bring fairytales with a twist to An Grainan

Comedy duo Makeyuppers, made up of Derry women Sorcha Shanahan and Gemma Walker-Farren, are smashing the patriarchy with their show '˜Alternative Bedroom Stories.'

Following a successful run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and sold out show at Carlisle Fringe, this five star hit show returns home for a performance at An Grianan, Saturday October 6.

Dragging fairytales kicking and screaming into the twenty-first century, Makeuppers dares to challenge the taboo, depressing underbelly of society that we daren’t talk about and dress it up in the glittering, playful smoke-screen of childhood tales- like the wolf in granny’s clothing.

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Talking to the Derry Journal, one half of Makeyuppers, Sorcha Shanahan tells of the show’s interesting dynamic which she hopes will unsettle and delight in equal measure.

“We wanted to create a show that made us laugh whilst at the same time making meaningful comedy that will have people squirming in their seats. From addressing domestic violence in Beauty and the Beast to challenging our perceptions of ‘those’ overbearring social media divas through the two ugly sisters. After all, it’s a very Irish thing to use humor to process the difficulties in life- it can be a release of sorts.”

Calling ‘Time’s up’ on men in comedy, Sorcha says stand-up shouldn’t rely on mother-in-law and ball and chain jokes.

“As a woman in stand-up for many years, I have seen the harmful effects it can have on you.” she said.

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“I was tired of men pontificating to me about my own life and telling me that ‘women’s stuff’ isn’t funny. After working for a number of years with the company, Heroes at the Edinburgh Fringe, I’d had enough of the same rhetoric. I took a moral stand and left.”

Tickets can be purchased online at angrianan.com/events.

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