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Working Class Crumbs

As part of my MA by research in creative writing - one of my stories is in the

Panacalty
 

Set in North East England in the 1970s and featuring local favourite stand up comic Bobby Thompson. Sless creates a fictionalised account of Bobby’s comedy through the eyes of a young working-class woman who dreams of becoming a comic. The story is rich with local language and Sunderland dialect.

  In memory of  

Bobby Thompson
1911 -1988

Bobby Thompson

READ PANACALTY
HERE

WATCH BOBBY THOMPSON PERFORM
HERE

Photographic crumbs

I've been performing stand up comedy and MC-ing events and tailored comedy material for many many organisations since 2007 

MC 2019 Victorian Community Transport Conference
with  Commissioner Ro Allen
"Justine did an incredible job as MC - her warmth and humour took the conference to another level" Suzanne Phoenix EO VCTA 

Women of Worth - The Great Synagogue Sydney  2019
Justine was a fantastic choice for our women’s weekend at The Great. She had us all laughing and nodding throughout her hilarious depiction of her life experiences which we all related well to!” Caroline Lewis

SNORE Melbourne Comedy Festival 2013
 
"Raw, gutsy, hilarious" - George McEncroe CEO Shebah

"Some kind of brilliant "  Clare Wright - Stella Prize Winner

IT'S NOT ABOUT THE PRAWNS Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2007
" A hilarious insight into the non profit sector "

Bread Without Borders
Melbourne International Comedy Festival  2008
Performed for Darebin City Council Moreland City Council and City of Melbourne
"Razor sharp wit - and biting sarcasm" -   Herald Sun

Jewish Care - volunteer celebration

Jewish News

"sparkling comedy"

Bench Press A Kitschen Sink Drama 
Melbourne International Comedy Festival
"Feminist satire at its best -clever, incisive and so very funny" RHUM

Tempest on Tyneside - sneak peak....

Tempest on Tyneside 

A hilarious dystopian feminist take on climate change.

Tempest Anthology Patrician Press

‘There’ll be boatloads of them tonight Joe,’ I say as we sup on a pint, looking out over Roker Beach, ‘hundreds of them, thirsty and gagging to see a match.’

‘I never bother going, now man, it’s just too hard to get to the stadium because of all the storm work. I just can’t get there.’ Joe belches, taps his pint glass, signals to the barman for another. ‘Daft buggers, coming up here for the drink and the footy every weekend. Who’d do the journey on a night like this an’ all. I said to the missus this morning, it’s like being back in the glory days but it’s not steel, ships or coal that’s putting us on the map, now like.’

‘Listen to this man,’ I read the update from The Echo that’s pulsing across my data screen, ‘All working men’s clubs are to be reopened to help cope with the influx of beer drinkers from the south. Why man, we just need a comedian like The Little Waster and the clubs would be more popular than the footy. H’way, let’s get down to the pier.’

Excuse me there are crumbs in my anthology

Order your copy HERE -
all proceeds go to Amnesty International. 

excuse me my crumbs are damp

DAMP
(UK)

The streets are

The signs are

The pavement is

The crowds walk through it

The sky replenishes it

The buses wheel over it

The spaces green grand and grungy are

The mizzle makes it more

The kaleidoscopic greys across the sky and the sea

Reflect it

The houses outside and sometimes in are

The hanging baskets bloomin' well are

The towns of rich and poor are

The time telling us to drink more beer is

The chips showered in vinegar are

Damp

Damp in the walls