In London, the roar of laughter echoing through dimly lit basement venues in Soho has changed dramatically over the last two decades. What once felt like a boys’ club-where male comedians dominated stages at The Comedy Store and Jongleurs-has transformed into a vibrant, unapologetic space led by women who refuse to be sidelined. From the gritty backrooms of Camden to the polished stages of the Southbank Centre, female-led comedy shows in London have evolved from niche acts into cultural powerhouses that shape how we see gender, power, and humour in modern Britain.
From the Margins to the Main Stage
In the early 2000s, if a woman wanted to do stand-up in London, she often had to prove she was ‘funny enough’ to be allowed on stage. Open mic nights at The Stand in Highbury or The Bull and Gate in Kentish Town were stacked with male headliners. Female performers were frequently booked as ‘the token woman’-a single slot in a lineup of six men, often expected to joke about dating, motherhood, or their appearance.
That began to shift with the rise of collectives like Female Comedy Collective, founded in 2012 by comedians including Sarah Pascoe and Bridget Christie. They didn’t wait for permission. They rented out small rooms above pubs in Brixton and Dalston, sold tickets on Eventbrite, and built audiences through word-of-mouth and Instagram reels. Their first show, ‘Women Who Are Funny’, sold out in 72 hours. By 2016, they were headlining at the Barbican.
It wasn’t just about getting on stage-it was about controlling the narrative. Women started writing shows that didn’t centre on men. They talked about workplace sexism in City firms, the absurdity of NHS waiting lists, and the quiet rage of being the only woman in a boardroom full of men who still say ‘you’re so articulate’ like it’s a compliment.
London’s Comedy Venues Become Incubators
London’s geography played a role. The city’s dense network of small theatres, pub basements, and community centres became accidental laboratories for innovation. In Peckham, the Bussey Building hosted monthly all-female lineups curated by comedian and producer Aisling Bea. In East London, the Rich Mix in Shoreditch became a hub for hybrid shows blending comedy, poetry, and activism-often led by women of colour like Nish Kumar and Aisling Bea.
Meanwhile, traditional institutions started to take notice. The Edinburgh Fringe Festival, while technically outside London, became the launchpad for dozens of London-based female comedians who then returned to headline at the Comedy Central Stage at Leicester Square Theatre. By 2020, over 40% of Edinburgh Fringe solo comedy shows were led by women-up from 12% in 2010.
London venues responded. The Comedy Store now runs a weekly ‘Women in Comedy’ night. Soho Theatre launched its ‘She Said’ season, dedicated entirely to female-led work. Even the Royal Albert Hall booked Sarah Millican for a full-length solo show in 2023-the first woman to headline there without being part of a tribute or charity event.
The Rise of the New Generation
Today’s top female comedians in London don’t just perform-they produce, write, and direct. They’re not waiting for TV networks to call. They’re making their own content and releasing it on YouTube or Patreon.
Take Stella Jang, a Korean-British comedian who started doing sets in Clapham pubs. Her 2021 show ‘My Mum Tried to Marry Me to a Doctor’ went viral after a clip of her mocking UK visa interviews with her parents got 3 million views. She now runs her own production company, Stella & Co, which films live shows in Hackney and streams them to subscribers across the UK.
Or Maya Jama, who began as a radio presenter on BBC Radio 1 and transitioned into comedy with her 2023 show ‘What’s the Point of Being a Woman?’, which toured London venues including the Old Vic and Gate Theatre. Her material tackles everything from period poverty to the pressure to ‘have it all’-a theme that resonates deeply with London’s working mothers in boroughs like Lambeth and Tower Hamlets.
These aren’t outliers. They’re the new normal. According to a 2025 survey by Comedy UK, 58% of London comedy clubs now feature female headliners at least once a week. In 2015, that number was 19%.
Why This Matters Beyond the Stage
Female-led comedy in London isn’t just entertainment-it’s social commentary with punchlines. It’s how a woman in her 30s living in a shared flat in Walthamstow processes the fact that her boss still asks her to ‘take the notes’ in meetings. It’s how a 19-year-old student in Camden laughs at the absurdity of being told she’s ‘too loud’ for being assertive.
Shows like ‘The Period Show’ by comedian and activist Sian Gibson-performed in partnership with Period Poverty UK-don’t just make people laugh. They raise money for free sanitary products in London schools. ‘Mum Life’, a touring show by comedian Helen Keen, partners with local nurseries in Greenwich to offer discounted tickets to single parents.
London’s comedy scene is no longer about who gets the spotlight-it’s about who gets to write the script. And now, women are rewriting it with razor-sharp wit, personal truth, and zero apologies.
Where to See Female-Led Comedy in London Today
If you’re in London and want to catch a show, here’s where to go:
- Soho Theatre - Weekly ‘She Said’ nights, often featuring rising stars from the London Comedy Circuit
- The Comedy Store - Friday night ‘Women in Comedy’ with rotating headliners
- Rich Mix - Monthly ‘Feminist Funnies’ with spoken word and stand-up
- Bussey Building, Peckham - ‘The Female Gaze’ series, curated by Aisling Bea’s team
- Barbican Centre - Larger-scale productions like Sarah Pascoe’s ‘Sex Power Money’
- Underbelly, Brixton - Free weekly open mic with a 50% female quota
Tickets start at £8 for open mics. Many venues offer pay-what-you-can nights on Wednesdays. Look out for discounts through Time Out London or London Theatre Direct.
What’s Next?
The next frontier? Representation behind the scenes. While more women are on stage, fewer are running TV comedy departments. But that’s changing. In 2024, the BBC hired its first female head of comedy since 2007. Channel 4’s new comedy slate includes seven female-led series, three of them developed by London-based writers.
And it’s not just about numbers. It’s about tone. The humour is sharper. It’s less about ‘women being silly’ and more about ‘the world being ridiculous’. The laughter is deeper because it’s earned.
London’s female-led comedy scene didn’t just break in-it rebuilt the room. And now, everyone’s invited.