Raising a laugh (From The Bolton News)

Raising a laugh

4:44pm Monday 10th July 2006

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STAND-UP comedy is not for the fainthearted, but Horwich woman Jenny Ryan is giving it a go for the first time at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival!

University graduate Jenny Ryan, who admits she is not a natural comedienne, is taking part in the festival in memory of the late entertainer Hovis Presley, a close family friend, who died last August at the age of just 44.

The 24-year-old said: "I thought if I am going to do this, I might as well do it properly and go all the way to the top.

"I wanted to do the scariest thing I could think of that was also a fitting tribute to Hovis Presley, who I had known all my life."

Jenny has just four weeks to transform herself from an administrative temp to a comedienne.

She will be known as Jenny Lion a school nickname.

Jenny, a law graduate, said: "I can make jokes in front of people I know and am comfortable with, but not in front of strangers.

"At house parties there is always someone in the kitchen who is cracking jokes and making everyone laugh I am the complete opposite to that.

"I have been on stage in amateur dramatics but never on my own."

She is appealing for top tips from comedians on how to make her act work, and also businesses for sponsorship to pay for transport and accommodation costs and helping her with the promotional material, including special T-shirts.

Celebrated northern comedian Johnny Vegas star of the ITV Digital commercials and Sex Lives Of the Potato Men is already lending his support.

He described Jenny as "intelligent and sexy as hell". Jenny met him during a tribute to Hovis Presley at the Albert Halls last November.

Jenny, says she is basing part of the act on her love of quizzes, which has seen her go on the BBC show, The Weakest Link.

"I developed the bug after appearing on University Challenge. Leeds University, which I attended, reached the semi-finals.

"I have done the Weakest Link walk of shame and am busy trying to get on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire."

Jenny will take on the role of a pub landlandy staging a pub quiz for this part of her act. "The character will be quite bolshy and will give me the confidence to answer hecklers," she says. "I will also be able to bar members of the audience from my pub!

"Sometimes I can't believe what I am doing, but at the same time I am very excited. Whatever happens it will be such an experience." Jenny does not believe that she will be "discovered", but hopes to make some contacts to help her with her ambition to become a scriptwriter.

"I would love to write a script soaps, comedy, whatever. Hovis Presley never craved the limelight, but gave others a step up and he seems to be doing that to me now."

Her path to the stage as a comedienne is being filmed by a friend, in which Jenny hopes Johnny Vegas might make a star appearance.

Anyone who can help should contact her on 07931954189.

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