The standup is taking their club night to new heights with an all-day extravaganza. They talk about new talent, learning to laugh in hard times and ‘performative activism’
K
emah Bob’s face lights up when they tell me about their “passion project that has got really out of hand”. In 2018, the Texan standup created FOC It Up, a comedy club for femmes of colour, after wanting to work with more people of colour “that weren’t dudes”. “It really was that simple,” they grin. Starting as an hour-long slot within a festival run by the cabaret company The Cocoa Butter Club, it has grown into a nurturing space for many comedians: they’ve hosted countless mixed-bill comedy nights, launched a podcast and taken shows to the Edinburgh fringe. “I wanted to have a space that felt different – warm and inclusive,” says Bob. “Not in a performative way. In the way that’s like: they’re all here, and that’s really cool.”
Not one to stand still, Bob is preparing for the club’s biggest event yet – a full day of workshops, masterclasses and networking opportunities, finishing with a “banging” comedy show at Soho theatre. Bob laughs when announcing the event’s name: “FOC Fest! It is just so cheeky.”
“Before I started doing comedy, I wasn’t really sure of myself … I want other people to have access to that. It’s a pretty sick job,” Bob says. But the festival is not solely aimed at aspiring comedians. “Using humour to reclaim yourself and laugh at difficult things is a great tool for everyone.” Over the course of the day, there are sessions including a standup masterclass for trans and queer people, a workshop that teaches participants to navigate “big feelings” through comedy, as well as industry panels with guests including Nana Hughes and Julia McKenzie.
