By Lulu Simons
Iya – I heard you fancied trying comedy, but thought you’d left it too late? I’m here to slap the teeth out of your head for thinking that, and I will NOT be taking questions.
Firstly, let’s tell you that whilst I’m no longer in my 20s, I’m also not dead yet and neither are you – unless you’re reading this, Nana…?
As such, you have the right to a very good and sexy life that makes you feel fizzy in your belly in a rollercoaster way – not just in the way that makes you dread your day job on a Sunday night, or after one of those hot dogs in a baguette from Shell Garage.
There are PLENTY of comics on the circuit in their 20s who are amazing – I love watching them, I recommend them and I want to be their friends (guys… guys…?). BUT there is also a nice juicy gap for a wider variation of people – people 35+, people of global majority, people with a disability, people who aren’t cis-gendered, anyone under/in/on the queer umbrella and the womens!
For this, I’m focusing on just the age thing – You don’t expire until a doctor has pronounced your time of death – so in the meantime, let’s disco.
Long-story-medium, I came back to comedy after a ten year hiatus. During which time I’d written off ever doing stand up or acting again as “I’d left it too late”.
What stopped me gigging the decade prior, was dad having a debilitating stroke, mum needed a major open heart surgery around the same time – both with a long recovery. As such, I did what all the oldest daughters seem to do – I put my life aside to be a tempo-matriarch and carer for these two mad people who’d raised me.
A month off gigs rolled into three, into six, into a decade.
Every time I saw a peer from uni or the circuit living their dream, I would feel this insane sense of shame – like I’d embarrassed myself by not pursuing comedy, acting – all the things that I felt I had a place in. “I’ve left it too late”, “the time has passed”.
I felt so left behind the thought of bumping into another comic or actor made me cringe. The “what have you been up to?” question.
The reply being in my head “nothing”, but actually – it had been really important work for my family, that I’d just accidentally lost myself in.
I’m skipping a few chapters, because Michael Aspels waiting for his dinner (another modern reference from me); but alongside caring for my folks, I had a lovely little near-death experience! Casual.
Classically followed by a mini-existential crisis, therapy and believing in crystals.
A hop, skip and a piece of quartz later and *POOF*, I decided to try an online comedy course in answer to the constant “who am I” bollocks I was rattling with.
Online, female and non-bino ran by Jane Postlethwaite. I jumped on, nervous to tell people “I’VE LET MYSELF DOWN, I’VE NOT BEEN DOING THE THING ALL THIS TIME”, “BRING OUT THE BELL: SHAME, SHAME, SHAME”; but kept it casual as “I might like to try comedy again”…
The other women online were writers, burlesque artists, actors, women’s health experts and award-winning podcasters. I felt like I might be out of my depth. I’m a woman who did, and now I don’t and I’m not sure I still can.
Another few chapters skipped, and that group of kind but intimidating women became a cohort, then a group of cheerleaders, and then people to just f*cking do it with!
We took our online zooming out into the real world – an open mic night. One open mic turned into two, then five, then trial nights, then middle sections on pro bills, MCing 100 seater theatres, our own comedy collective (TOKEN.) – and a strong sense of self returned!
Skipping forward to the point – I hadn’t left it too late. No one stood up and asked me about the gap in my imaginary CV.
If you think you’ve left it too late to try this (or anything, unless it’s modelling Pampers), please tattoo these to the inside of your eyelids:
LITERALLY NO ONE THINKS ABOUT YOU, AS MUCH AS YOU DO.
IT’S NOT A BIG DEAL.
WHAT WOULD 8 YEAR OLD YOU DO?
WHAT WOULD 80 YEAR OLD YOU WISH YOU DID, NOW?
IF YOU THINK YOU’D BE HAPPIER IF YOU TRIED THIS, DO IT.
IT’S NOT TOO LATE – EVERRRRR.
I love comedy and performance and being silly on stage is something so intrinsically linked in me, that despite more bumps in the road family wise the last couple of years – I kept going. I was there for people, but I kept this just for me.
As such, I think I’ve returned with better and somehow simultaneously worse outfits, a greater expanse of perspective about what really matters, more resilience to bombing and asking for help.
Now you’ve listened to my mini-bio (apologies) – the purpose of telling you this was to say – life is short, we’re on a floating rock in the middle of infinite time or space – just do the bloomin’ thing.
I’m no life coach (unless it’s Jez ala Peep Show style), but literally, there is zero reason not to try the thing. No one cares – no one cared or cares about how long I’d not been, or had been gigging for. Creativity is for everyone – some use crayons, some use words (me, both ofc) – it’s also magic for your brain, your soul and your sense of connection to other people.
If you don’t use it, you won’t lose it – but you will miss it.
And in the meantime, I’m hanging out at the clerb without my fellow 35+ers.
Pull your finger out lads.
Lulu Simons brings the important topics to the stage and page — like the Spice Girls, and your dad’s holiday pics.
A proud Welsh, working class stand-up, writer, and performer; her latest show, “Council Estate Gap Year”, debuted to sell out audiences two years in succession for:
Women in Comedy Festival and the inaugural Rik Mayall Festival; earning outstanding reviews.
Passionate about platforming underrepresented people in comedy; Lulu has also taken proactive steps to foster greater diversity by founding TOKEN. Comedy Collective, aimed at supporting and amplifying underrepresented voices on the circuit.
Winner of Best Newcomer, 2025 Women In Comedy Festival.
“A must-see comic — an absolute joy” Culture Warrington (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
Canal Street Online: “Lulu reminded us of Victoria Wood in her observational comedy and great comic timing”
She’s a daft, exciting and ambitious talent.
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