Favourite local comedian

1. Sarah London
2. Alex Ateah
3. Riva Billows

Sarah London has been doing standup for a little over two years. During the spring lockdown, the University of Winnipeg student decided to post short comedy sets on her Twitter and Instagram. 

“I think it was a really great place for me to put my energy,” she says.

London had been planning to perform at an open mic the weekend the lockdown started in the spring of 2020, and when that got cancelled, she decided to share her comedy virtually. 

“I really wanted to do it, which I think (is) how comedy works ... you just ... really feel the need to do it,” London says.

She says other local comedians started posting similar videos, and it was really fun to see and take part in.

London did improv in high school, but it was at an open mic that she first saw standup comedy.

“I was like, ‘oh, this is what I should be doing,’” London says.

She says while standup is fulfilling, it can also be an emotional experience.

“It’s a really vulnerable thing to do ... so there will be times where ... you’ll get off stage, and you’ll be like ‘wow, I feel great,’” she says.

Other times, London says she might not feel great after a set, especially if there isn’t anyone she knows in the crowd.

“I don’t know, this is probably just me, but then I get sometimes overwhelmingly sad after,” she says.

Standup comedy can certainly be vulnerable, and there isn’t much instruction.

“No one tells you how to do standup. Like, no one’s like teaching you how to do it, so it’s a lot of getting stuck in your own head,” she says.

London says she got lots of positive feedback from her videos and believes people are just glad to have something to laugh about in stressful times.

“I haven’t started it up again, but I’ve been thinking about it,” she says.

Published in Volume 75, Number 12 of The Uniter (December 3, 2020)