Tell us about you/your act.
I am a queer, northern stand up who interweaves relatable stories with puns, impressions and comedy songs.
How did you get into comedy?
At the end of 2019, I spotted a poster for a comedy workshop in a pub in Manchester which was being put on by queer Cumbrian comedian, Jane Postlethwaite. I was really nervous about attending and almost didn’t go in when I was sat in my car outside, but I braved it and I’m so glad I did. It was literally life-changing.
It re-ignited the passion I’d had for acting and improv when I was younger and gave me the bug to try more. It was one of the last in-person things to take place before the Covid lockdown. But we then started an online weekly improv session via Zoom, which was like a beacon amidst all the darkness of the pandemic.
From there, I did Jane’s one-woman show and 5-min stand up courses which culminated in me doing my first ever open mic at the old Hot Water Comedy Club in Liverpool in July 2022.
I then went to various open mics and starting applying for gigs managing one gig a week in 2023.
What was it like starting your comedy career in your 40s?
It many ways it was really good because I worried far less what people thought about me than I would have done when I was younger. I also felt like I had a lot more to say because of the life experiences I had.
Given my tendency to hyperfocus, I think I would have been consumed by the scene if I had started younger and without the guidance of some wise sages around me I think I could’ve crashed and burned!
What inspired you to incorporate music into your act?
It probably goes without saying that my major role model growing up was Victoria Wood. I remember seeing her when I was about 8 and realising that being funny could be a job. I memorised all her sketches and, having taught myself to play the keyboard, I also learned her songs.
I really enjoy the quirkier side of comedy and I was very much in the mindset of why not give it a go. My first song about the perils of being the mum of teenage girl kind of arrived fully formed in my mind, lyrics and tune so I dusted off the keytar and voila!
I think my love, OK, obsession with words means I get great pleasure from playing with word formation, rhyming, etc which lends itself well to songwriting.
What is your favourite pun?
Ooh this is like picking a favourite child but I’m picking this one because of the complexity and because I really wanted to write a pun that worked with this format
I went to the new Mary Poppins themed restaurant the other day – soup n cauli felt holistic, tex-mex was atrocious
Who is your favourite comedian we’ve never heard of?
This is another tricky one because who am I to say that a comedian’s not been heard of but I’m going to choose Rich McCulloch. He’s a musical comedian from Yorkshire and he headlined one of my Bliss Comedy nights last year. He makes me weep with laughter and its just a really high quality set both in terms of writing and performance.
What challenges have you faced working in comedy? How do you think that comedy as an industry can better address these issues?
One of the biggest challenges being an older comedian with a family is time. I have to plan gigs quite far ahead to make sure they fit in with everything else I’m doing and I think that means that it’s taken me longer to progress. I’d love to jump on all the ‘understandable dropout’ gigs that get posted but I just can’t do it.
I also think that can mean I’m sometimes taken less seriously as a comedian and that its more of a hobby for me but I’m as dedicated as the next person when it comes to developing the craft.
The way I’ve tackled that is by creating my own nights, a full gig night which I MC and an open mic night which gives me the opportunity to test material and develop my own following and audience.
As an industry I think we need to be more creative and realise there are more formats than just the traditional weekend comedy club and you can actually develop successful nights which are completely different to that format.
What appealed to you about being part of a show like Blizzard?
Blizzard was top of my list when I first started looking for gigs to apply for. I love that its aimed at creating a safe and inclusive space for both the comedians and audience, queer-friendly and embracing the alternative side of comedy. I felt I could be 100% myself with my material.
It was where I did my first official 10 minute spot and all the other comedians were so lovely and supportive
What have you got coming up that we should look out for?
I’m launching my first solo show, Cross Examination (WIP) in Liverpool on 24 October. This is a deeply personal show for me but it will be lots of fun with great music and audience participation. The first show is going to be followed by 90s school disco!
Barrister-turned-comedian Mary Cross puts her own life on trial interrogating the roles she perfected and the parts of herself she edited to fit in.
Packed with painfully funny stories, 90s/00s anthems and fearless honesty, Cross Examination is an uplifting celebration of finally living out loud.
I’ll also be performing this as part of the Nottingham Comedy Festival on 8 November 2026 at 4.30pm in the Cosy Club.
And the next Bliss Comedy night is on 11 September in Birkenhead.
Do you have any advice for anyone hoping to get into comedy?
I think the one thing I wish someone had said to me at the start is to go at your own pace. It’s easy to get caught up in the competitive side of applying for gigs and worrying that other people are doing more than you and then you lose sight of what you’re trying to gain from it.
Have fun and if the space you want for your comedy doesn’t exist – invent it!
Mary is performing at Blizzard Comedy on Thursday 27th August. Book your free ticket here.
You can keep up with where else you can catch her by checking out her website, and following her on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
