All-female stand-up comedy troupe, Bitches in Stitches Manila, is performing its sophomore show on September 7th at A Fine Mess in Poblacion, Makati.
From HK to MNL
Originally founded in Hong Kong in 2021 by Fran Ayala-Rock to address the gender gap in the local scene, Bitches in Stitches sold out every single one of its 30 shows in its first two years and doubled the number of paid female comedians in Hong Kong. Since her move back to the Philippines in 2023, Ayala-Rock has been active in Manila’s stand-up comedy scene but saw an opportunity to grow the community by putting more women on the stage.
“Everyone deserves to have laughter in their lives,” said Ayala-Rock. “I want to create a safe and more inclusive comedy scene where a person’s identity isn’t a punchline, but a story to be celebrated.”
Building an International Community of Women Comedians
In July this year, Ayala-Rock decided to activate the Bitches in Stitches brand in Manila, which she now helms with fellow comedians Veronica Litton and Cristina Sebastian, who she met on the open mic circuit.
In March of this year, Ayala-Rock began conducting monthly comedy writing workshops online. Joined by a collection of women comedians from various corners of the world – including Hong Kong, the Philippines, South Korea, South Africa, and the United Kingdom – Ayala-Rock breaks down each aspect of stand-up comedy as an art form.
“There’s a common misconception that stand-up comedy is easy because comedians work tirelessly to master looking ‘natural’ on stage,” said Litton. “Giving and receiving feedback in an environment of mutual respect is essential for us to truly grow as performers.”
“These workshops have been extremely helpful because they force me to get out of my own way,” said Sebastian. “When I think I’ve run out of things to say, my fellow comics will come up with something surprising and it reminds me that there’s comedy gold in just about everything. Some of my favorite material started from an idea that I came up with in an exercise and just ran with.”
Global All-Femme Movement Goes Local
While Ayala-Rock, Litton, and Sebastian also perform with other local comedy groups, their priorities are for Bitches in Stitches Manila to attract a wider female audience and encourage more women to try their hand at stand-up comedy by going to open mics and performing on shows.
“The local scene is growing and thriving, but we really need a safe environment where female and queer performers can express ourselves and laugh with our audience,” said Litton. “Bitches in Stitches Manila is building that space.”
Bitches Ain’t Messing Around
Bitches in Stitches Manila’s next show, Laugh Riot, is happening at 8:00 pm on September 7th, at A Fine Mess, a Poblacion bar sat on top of a ramen joint on Kalayaan Avenue.
A Fine Mess is more than just a multifunctional space – it aims to collaborate instead of compete with local businesses and organizations for the common goal of upliftment and education. The venue has housed a wide range of events, including live podcast recordings, pet adoption drives, dance lessons, and yoga classes.
“People should come to Bitches in Stitches Manila because, at the risk of sounding corny, it’ll be so much fun, ” said Sebastian. “We’ll have some of the best female and queer comics in Manila on our stage, a fully-stocked bar with excellent food, and we’re going above and beyond to make sure this night is a fun, carefree environment for everyone who walks through the doors. We’re redefining ladies’ night!”
Follow @bitchesinstitchesmnl on Instagram. For tickets to Laugh Riot, Bitches in Stitches Manila’s next show, visit: https://ticket2me.net/event/21906
Date: Saturday, 7 September 2024
Time: 8:00 – 10:00 pm
Venue: A Fine Mess, 2nd Floor (on top of Tetsuo), 8483 Kalayaan Ave. cor. Matilde, Makati
