Rosie Wilby is a comedian, musician, writer and broadcaster based in London.
As a comedian she has performed at Sydney Mardi Gras, The Comedy Store, Latitude Festival and on Radio 4.
As a musician she has performed at Glastonbury Festival, Ronnie Scotts and on Carlton TV.
"Talented performer with a winning self-deprecating personality.."
Bruce Dessau, Evening Standard
"Her voice is glorious..each note played and word uttered is as finely tuned as Wilby's guitar"
Betty Clarke, The Guardian
Rosie first tried stand up comedy in 2004 after encouragement from fans at music gigs who enjoyed her between song banter. She entered So You Think You're Funny on a whim. Finding herself in the semi finals of that and then the Laughing Horse competition 9 months later, she realised she had better start doing some more regular comedy gigs.
She now does paid work all over the UK at clubs including Bent Double at Komedia, Amused Moose, Mirth Control, Laughing Horse, Laughing Cows, Electric Mouse, Soho Comedy Club, Comedy Cafe, Hecklers Comedy Club, Just Fair Laughs, The Good Ship Comedy Club, Red In The Face Comedy, Comedy at the Kirk, Funhouse Comedy, XS Malarkey, The Stand, Frog & Bucket, Hampstead Comedy Club, Downstairs at the Kings Head, The Comedy Box
Rip Roar Comedy and Laughbag at The Miller.
She also comperes and curates Femmes by the Thames at Royal Vauxhall Tavern and has appeared on Radio 4 Loose Ends.
'Excellent and a bit posh'
Time Out
"One of London's doyennes of thoughtful, intimate, and warmly entertaining comedy.."
Sharon Lougher, Metro
Awards
Finalist: Funny Women (2006)
Semi Finalist: Laughing Horse New Act Of The Year (2005/06)
Finalist: Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year (2007)
Semi Finalist: Amused Moose Laugh Off (2007)
Semi Finalist: So You Think You're Funny (2004)
In July 2000, Rosie released a critically acclaimed self-financed album of her own music Precious Hours. Highlights of her musical career included playing Glastonbury Festival and Londons Ronnie Scotts plus supporting Bob Geldof and Jamie Cullum on tour. She also founded Girls Cross Country, an Arts Council funded touring project for independent female songwriters.
Her music career was placed on the backburner when her comedy took off in 2006. Yet she's dusting off her guitar to include some of her old songs in new show Rosie's Pop Diary.
"Her voice is glorious, ranging from the trembly heights of Kate Bush to a wistful candyfloss lightness, warm and welcoming. Each note played and word uttered is as finely tuned as Wilbys guitar"
Betty Clarke, The Guardian (on Wilbys set at Ronnie Scotts in 2000).
Rosie Wilby and fellow comedian Rachel Holmes present their spoof monthly(ish) LGBT news podcast Odd Ones Out.
As recommended by Diva Magazine
**Coming soon**
Live stage version of Odd Ones Out!
Available free from iTunes or Mevio.
Listen
iTunes Mevio
Connect to Odd Ones Out
Rosie currently writes for award winning website musicOMH.com. Read some of her recent work at:
Interview with kd lang
Review Josh T Pearson
Review William Fitzsimmons
Review Nathaniel Rateliff
She co-wrote and co-starred in short film The Bride and Bride at the 2011 London Lesbian And Gay Film Festival (now touring international LGBT film fests).
Other published writing includes Diva, Maverick, Time Out, NME, The Pink Paper, Whisperinandhollerin.com, Rainbow Network, Top Magazine, Ham & High, Highbury & Islington Express, Making Music.
In her 2009 Edinburgh Fringe show, Rosie investigated the science of attraction, sexual chemistry and sexual identity with spoof experiments and handmade props.
The show won a Fringe Report award 2010 and was a sellout at Camden Fringe, Liverpool Comedy Festival, Cambridge Science Festival and more.
Her ‘'love doctor’' persona was so successful that the London South Bank asked her to facilitate their literary speed dating on World Book Day 2011 and London Zoo asked her to appear at their Lates Twisted Cabaret in June / July 2011. “
"A whole host of laughs, mostly laugh out loud belly laughs. Rosie rocked it”" ****
one4review
Rosie took her critically acclaimed show Rosie's Pop Diary to Edinburgh Fringe 2011, and will be touring it around the UK throughout 2012. An accompanying book is due out late 2012.
Mixing stand up, storytelling and acoustic versions of her songs, Rosie delves into a personal treasure trove of old photos, fan letters, reviews and the original Rosies Pop Diary (her 90s column in the now defunct music magazine, Making Music) for this funny and touching new show that explores the nature of nostalgia.
"Rosie Wilby is the most genuine comic I've seen this year... Rosie's Pop Diary is a delicate, endearing delight..."
Fringe Guru (4 stars)
"..an altogether generally lovely experience.." Three Weeks (4 stars)
"..fabulous songs and entertaining anecdotes" Edinburgh 247 (5 stars)
"A lovely show with a lot of heart.."
Remote Goat (4 stars)
"Wilby is an accomplished singer, lyricist, comedian and story teller... I loved it.." ScotsGay (4 stars)
"..what a wonderful singing voice.." one4review
"..a funny, bright and engaging performer.." Broadway Baby (4 stars)
"..a funny, occasionally philosophical, reflection of an interesting phase of an interesting womans life. Good music, good comedy and a feelgood show: a winning combination.."
Angie Johnson, The Oxford Times
"..delicious volumes of vocals and sparkling stand-up humour.."
Western Daily Press
Read Three Weeks interview with Rosie .
19 Jan 2012
Rosies Pop Diary (excerpt)
20.00
Polari literary salon, Southbank
2 Feb 2012
Stand Up
Laughing Cows, London
3 Feb 2012
Gay Comedy Night, The Y, Leicester Comedy Festival
4 Feb 2012
Rosies Pop Diary
20.45
The Stables, Milton Keynes
6 Feb 2012
Stand Up (headlining)
19.30
Comedy Playground, Contact Theatre, Manchester
7 Feb 2012
XS Malarkey, Manchester
26 Feb 2012
Rosie's Pop Diary
The Latest Bar, Brighton
27 Feb 2012
The Fortnight Club, London
1 Mar 2012
Comedy Café, London
3 Mar 2012
Quadrant, Brighton
6 Mar 2012
The Laughing Sole, Birmingham
10 Mar 2012
Scary Little Girls Cabaret, Cornerstone Arts, Didcot
14 Mar 2012
Laughing Cows, Birmingham
15 Mar 2012
The Albany, Deptford
30 Mar 2012
Exeter Pride Comedy Night
6 April 2012
Glee Birmingham
9 April 2012
Laugh Bag _ The Miller London Bridge
21 April 2012
Quadrant Brighton
22nd April
Southwark Playhouse
28 April 2012
Laughing Horse, Covent Garden
Rosie presents and produces Resonance 104.4FMs LGBT show Out In South London every Tuesday at 6.30pm.
"..Note to the BBC, you need to give Rosie Wilby her very own radio show very soon, with her jazz-cool demeanour and a voice that makes Morgan Freeman sound a little on the screechy side.."
Diva Magazine
"Wilby has a fine voice and manner for radio...a bright, strong show."
Elisabeth Mahoney, The Guardian
"A really interesting and funny radio show, I love every minute of it.."
South London Press
She has also reported for Radio 5 at Wimbledon 2008 and appeared on Radio 4 Loose Ends and Womans Hour, LBC and BBC London.
