Entertainment / Marjolein ‘so blyde’ to come runner-up in global comedy award final
A SHETLAND comedian says she was “overwhelmed and so, so blyde” to come second in a global competition showcasing female comedy talent.
Marjolein Robertson took to the stage at London’s 535-capacity Bloomsbury Theatre at the end of September to take part in the Funny Women Awards final.
The eventual winner on the night was Lorna Rose Treen, but Robertson said she was happy just to have made it to the final.
She explained that she had to go through heats and an online semi-final before getting to take part in the in-person finale.
The top ten acts for the ‘stage’ award were selected from over 450 entries from countries as far reaching as the US, New Zealand and Estonia.
“I’m just so chuffed to have been in da final at all, never mind getting a place,” Robertson said. “Nice that folk wanted to hear jokes about reestit mutton!”
The performance came off the back of a successful stint at Edinburgh’s Fringe festival performing her new show Thank God Fish Don’t Have Hands.
It was the first time she worked with others to structure her show, and it seems to have paid off – with Robertson bagging her first five-star review.
“It was a sell oot show, which I wasn’t expecting and I got some nice reviews,” she said.
“But even then, getting some things that I had always hoped for, I thought I’d be content, but you’re always looking to try and fix parts, change up jokes, be funnier.”
So what is next on the horizon? Robertson is also taking part in the BBC New Comedy Awards, which will be shown on BBC Three on 18 October.
She is also indulging in another of her interests by joining the bill of the Scottish International Storytelling Festival later in the month – both in Edinburgh and also in Unst (29 October).
It comes after the Shetlander was named Scots Speaker of the Year at this year’s Scots Language Awards in Dundee last month.
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