New year, new giggles at The Laughter Factory. Get tickets now...

Written by:
Laura Coughlin
27th December 2020

Beat the January blues at The Laughter Factory headlined by Ester Manito, Stephen Grant and John Fothergill…

When the dust has settled on the festive season and the work routine starts again, there’s nothing like a laugh to keep your spirits up. The Laughter Factory is just the tonic, returning in January.

Compere extraordinaire, Stephen Grant is the winner of several of the UK’s compere awards, and never fails to blow away his audiences with his witty examination of almost everything.

Meanwhile The Laughter Factory royalty, John Fothergill, is a regular and the undisputed king of inappropriate.

Rounding out the trio, and making her debut on The Laughter Factory is Ester Manito. The Arab Essex girl talks feminism, relationships and her quest to control her body hair. We had a fun chat with Ester ahead of the show…

How would you describe yourself? Looks wise: tall and hairy. Personality: Loud.

How would others describe you? I think the same as above. Hopefully they would add funny, although if they are related to me they probably wouldn’t.

What was your first stand-up gig like? I was so nervous I threw up. I never planned to do stand-up so it was a real shock to my family and friends. I had kept it a secret at first, scuttling out to perform. Being on stage took a bit of getting used to.

What comedians do you look up to? Gina Yashere and Ahmed Ahmed.

What has being a stand-up taught you? That you never ever know what’s around the corner, and that is very exciting.

Pick one: fish ‘n’ chips or fried kibbeh. Argh! These are both my favourites. Kibbeh with tahini? Chips with curry sauce? Oh no, I mean this needs to be taken very seriously. Now I want kibbeh with fish and chips. I must be able to get that somewhere in London, right?

What would your most indulgent purchase be? As you may notice when you see me I’m not someone who buys expensive clothes. Fashion doesn’t interest me. I know, I’m a Lebanese Essex girl! Um, I guess it would be a private chef to make me fish and chips with kibbeh every day.

What do women want? Clean surfaces.

What will your epitaph say? Whoooooo hoooooo I’m going to meet Elvis.

Tell us a joke. The year 2020.