When I began writing and performing comedy it was 1983 and unless you were a male performer - the audience tended to glaze over or throw things. Oddly enough I cracked on despite begin asked to reveal a certain body part at The Comedy Store (luckily, I hadn’t brought it with me that night, so I was let off the hook).
In 2018, Helen made her return to the Edinburgh Festival with her sell-out and highly acclaimed confessional stand-up performance called ‘I might as well say it’, a searingly candid biographical journey with the kind of irony that reminded everyone she is still the third funniest women in England.
HELEN LEDERER
the nowhere to hide section…
THEATRE
Sister George is no nun, but a fictional character in a popular BBC radio soap about English village life. To boost ratings the character is axed and Mrs Mercy (Belinda Lang) confronts June Buckridge who has played the part for some 2000 performances. June has a domestic relationship with Alice McNaught, who shares her home and her bed. Madame Xenia (Helen Lederer) is the only one who sees the truth: with the impending catastrophe of June’s job lost the insecure relationship is taken advantage
My favourite - My very own chat show ‘why the fuss’- from the meaning of life to shoplifting - with amazing guests – political commentators, feminism and Kimberly Walsh - YES get in! joy fun truth
I can still remember the first line- ‘Are you coming in or am I going out?’ - profound play – lucky me
The joy of women ... together. And my shoes are a size too big – loved this show
Playing Mme Xavier in The Killing of Sister George alongside Meera Syal, Belinda Lang and Elizabeth Cadwallader at The Arts Theatre, October 2011
My first panto in Cambridge-…oh I remember the corpsing … (bad) and ‘Love is in the air’
I loved being bold in this theatre…
we had fun in this. And no line learning required cos its all on CARDS! great messages -always laughter
STAND-UP COMEDY
It's a sell-out!
Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2018
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The Madonna of the comedy world, she keeps on coming back with a revived look and ever more fabulous hair... A true comedy heroine.
Entertainment Focus
A consummate professional at work.
Levity, wit and searingly candid.
Wee Review
Delicious dollops of wit, envy and self-deprecation peppered here and there – it’s a fast paced and entertaining show
The Fringe Review
An endearing touch of the Ronnie Corbett's in her comic timing
Divinely witty
The Guardian
The Times
A masterclass in the monologue genre and one of the nation's premier talents
Comedy Coroner
The self-appointed ‘supply teacher of comedy’ made her triumphant and long overdue return to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in her new one woman show ‘I Might As Well Say It’ in 2019.
Talking about being a woman in stand-up comedy, being fat and wheezy in showbusiness and spilling the beans from the set of Ab Fab, she sold out her full 22 night run with Underbelly in the prestigious McEwan Hall.
After 14 years she returned to the Fringe to critical acclaim, enchanting audiences with her unique wit and observational humour.
Helen Lederer is back, and her audience is loving it. She is currently blasting around the country for book events and literary festivals. The Q and A sections can turn into raucous, revealing but always hilarious - salons of fun. Stay tuned for more.