Cumbrian upbringing has shaped career for stand-up star Jane

GROWING up in Cumbria has shaped a lot of Jane Postlethwaite's acclaimed and award-nominated dark comedy - but it has influenced everything about her latest show. 

Made In Cumbria has been an undeniable hit down the other end of the country, where the comedy actress and writer from Kirkby in Furness has been working on it for over a year and taking out the characters to comedy gigs. 

Based in Brighton, she has received rave reviews at the city's Fringe Festival, and at venues and events across the South Coast. 

This August she takes the character-based routine to the world renowned Edinburgh Festival - marking the high point of her stand-up career to date. 

"I have been writing ideas for comedy characters for a while," says Jane.

"I did an acting diploma a few years ago in Brighton, and I had no confidence but I had always enjoyed acting at Barrow Sixth Form College.

"I have been watching comedy since I was little - things like Red Dwarf, Morecambe and Wise, Victoria Wood and Julie Walters - and when I was doing the acting diploma I started keeping a notebook of ideas. 

"As I am 6ft tall and blonde, I would get typecast in roles as "pretty girl" - and everyone knows that pretty girl doesn't get the good storylines. I started to think about the female characters I would want to write and perform. 

"The show is a combination of characters that I find fun to write and perform. I wrote a version of the show last year for the Brighton Fringe, and since then I have been studying how to write, performing live as much as possible and surrounding myself within the comedy scene. 

"I am very excited about taking the show to Edinburgh in August for the whole month. The League of Gentlemen team are some of my comedy inspirations and they started at the Edinburgh Festival then went on to do radio before TV." 

Former Dowdales school pupil Jane was nominated for the Latest Award for Best Female Performer in Brighton Fringe 2014 for her work with award-winning theatre production company Bite-Size Plays, and has since thrown everything into comedy, working on two radio sitcoms, staging a successful comedy night in Brighton called the Bad Book Project, and hosting the Spectacular Podcast, which has been featured by iTunes. 

She has come a long way since her - self-confessed - "pretty awful" debut performance on the Funny Women comedy show at Leicester Square Theatre, alongside nationally-renowned names Aisling Bea and Lucy Beaumont after doing a two-hour Funny Women workshop. 

Jane believes that comedy is her calling. 

"I was then inspired to learn everything about stand-up comedy. I discovered there was a flourishing Brighton comedy scene, and asked for gigs to hone a five-minute set, and for six months I went out to gig at least once a week. 

"Sometimes it was to two people and sometimes to 100, and I really learnt a lot about writing jokes, performing and the art of comedy. 

"I feel proud that only a few years back I was lacking confidence and then last year I became a Funny Women Finalist and I got through to the Brighton Comedy Festival Squawker Award Finals. 

"I kind of feel I was always meant to do comedy. It has only been the last few years where I have thrown myself into it. I never really thought it was a career option until I started doing it. 

"It is like the itch that I have wanted to itch for so long. Now my confidence is at a level that I just go for things even if they do scare me. I want to be doing comedy for the rest of my life." 

Despite its title, Jane has never performed Made In Cumbria in her home county. 

Cumbrian comedy is a world away from the gig-a-night Brighton scene, but that doesn't mean that we'll never get to enjoy the show live.

"I hope I can bring it to Cumbria," she says. "I would like to perform at the Brewery Arts Centre in Kendal. 

"I have only met one other Cumbrian comedian and that is Russ Peers, from Barrow. I am sure I will eventually meet Cumbria females doing stand-up or their own characters. 

"The comedy scene is in Brighton and London, but my parents’ house will always be there in Cumbria, so I know I always have a base there. If I am lucky enough to get rich and famous then I would definitely follow Steve Coogan's style and get a gorgeous big Cumbrian house of my own for when I need to escape. One overlooking Coniston Water would be ideal. I find I can write and focus when I am back in Cumbria." 

Clearly Jane's upbringing in the south of the county has had an influence on her material - all of the female characters in Made In Cumbria share traits with characters she knew growing up or stories she heard about.

And her collection of tales only grows every time she is back. 

"The list for things I love about Cumbria is too long, but I love the people, the humour, the accents, the scenery, the sunsets from Kirkby-in-Furness, watching the tides on the Duddon Estuary. I love the way you can go on a walk and not see anyone for miles. All the little secret areas to explore. 

"I don’t like it when I have to leave after visiting and sometimes get homesick for Cumbria – this is why writing a Cumbrian show has been therapeutic. 

"I grew up in Cumbria and my family are still there. My Dad’s side of the family have been in Kirkby for over 300 years. I left when I was 19 to go to Winchester School of Art for four years. I was the first person on my Dad’s side of the family to go to University. 

"I come back to visit family at least a couple of times a year. It is great to slow down the pace, reconnect and just enjoy the beautiful scenery. Looking back I know how lucky I was to have a Cumbrian childhood in the countryside. 

"Brighton is a buzzing bohemian city and I have felt very at home here. But I enjoy going home at Christmas and then either at Easter or Summer. It's just nice to catch up with family and my Nanna."

• Jane Postlethwaite performs Made in Cumbria at Sweet Venues at the Apex Hotel, in Grassmarket, throughout the Edinburgh Festival, from August 5 to 28.