Up and Coming: Irish comedian Anna Clifford

Anna Clifford is taking the comedy world by storm.

The Howth native launched her career after studying comedy in Vancouver, Canada.

She then moved to London, before returning home to Dublin.

While living in London, Anna was a Funny Women regional finalist 2017, Laughing Horse semifinalist 2018 and Leicester Square New Act quarter-finalist 2017 and 2018.

Anna impressively graduated from The Gaiety School of Acting back in 2012.

Goss.ie spoke to Anna for our latest Up and Coming feature, who opened up about how she finds confidence within herself and how she deals with criticism.

Find out more about the comedian in our exclusive chat below:

How did you first get into comedy? 

I started comedy when I was living in Vancouver, Canada. I moved there about seven or eight years ago, but I started comedy about six years ago. I liked the idea of being very far away from home to try it out.

Irish people really are a hilarious nation, we all have a bit of humour in us I do believe. We’re also very humble and tend not to think too much of ourselves.

So, to be honest, I don’t think I ever would’ve started comedy in Dublin because all my friends would be like, ‘Who do you think you are?’

I studied acting in the Gaiety School of Acting, so I’ve always loved performing. But I saw a comedy course while I was in Vancouver and was like, ‘Oh my god, I love stand-up comedy, I need to try this.’

I always loved the likes of Tommy Tiernan and Andrew Maxwell growing up. So I decided to do the course just to give it a go, and even if I didn’t end up pursuing it I’d have learned a new skill.

At the end of the course, I did a five minute showcase in front of some family and friends, and I was s***ting it! It ended up being the best buzz ever. There’s such a high when it all goes well. And I decided to keep chasing that buzz.

You mentioned a few male comedians that you’re a fan of. Are there any Irish female comedians that you looked up to?  

Deirdre O’Kane has been flying the flag for Irish female comics for years. In terms of onscreen comics, Pauline McLynn who played Mrs. Doyle in Father Ted.

When I was younger, there were probably more male influences but now amazingly, there’s more females in the industry.

Joanne McNally is selling out gigs everywhere, she’s beat all the male comedians in the country, and that’s deadly. She’s put female comics on the map. I think we’re slowly taking over.

Comedy isn’t for everyone, and it can come with a lot of criticism. Have you have to deal with that in your career?

Overall I’ve been quite lucky, but there has been a few times that I’ve walked out on stage and been met with hostility straight away.

Some people just don’t like young female comics, and they just don’t give you a chance. Sometimes you feel like you have to work a little bit harder, but the reward is even better.

It requires a lot of confidence to be able to step out on stage and perform in front of a crowd of people. Have you always been a confident person or is that something you’ve had to work on for your job? 

I think about this all the time because I think we all have strengths in different places. Some people are like, ‘Oh my god I could never do that.’ But there’s something in me that just craves performing and being on stage.

I love the immediate reactions you get, and the live thrill of knowing something could go wrong. So for me, I think that’s where my confidence come from to step on stage because I want to feel that energy.

I could never be a teacher or something because I’m so intimidated by kids. I remember being in an office job and we had to cold call people and I wanted to cry.

So there’s some things that I’m not very confident in, but for some reason I just wanted to make a fool of myself and I feel confident doing that. If I have to take myself seriously, I’m not so confident!

When you came back to Ireland and started performing comedy more locally, were you worried about the reaction? 

Yes definitely! Vancouver was such a good place to start. It’s especially great when you’re Irish, because anyone with an Irish accent they just love and think you’re hilarious.

Then when I came home I was worried people would be thinking, ‘Who’s your one?’ So I went and watched a few of the comedy nights in Dublin before I applied to do them myself, and I was blown away. I was blown away by how nice Irish people are. They’re always up for a laugh.

My friends are my biggest supporters, they’ll come to my shows multiple times.

What do you do before a gig to calm your nerves? 

I like to go out for a big walk on the day. I then write a set list out and go through what I think I want to say at the gig, and then I’ll write a little note at the bottom like: ‘Smash it!’

When I’m touring, I like to be a bit more physical so I also do some stretches to let loose. Just a few downward facing dogs and lunges…

What do you love the most about doing comedy?

I just love the energy. I love live work, being in a room with people. When it’s going well, I can’t even describe the buzz and the feeling.

It’s almost like a meditation, you forget about everything else and it’s just all about you and the audience having a good laugh. What’s not to love about that?

If you weren’t doing comedy, what career path do you think you would’ve went down?

There’s definitely been times over the years where I’ve thought, ‘What are you doing? Just give it all up. I’m so jealous of my friends with their 9 to 5 jobs.’ I do daydream about where I would be if I didn’t decide to do comedy.

I think I’d probably just be one of those people who never stops travelling and works in a bar. I could never do a job where I’d be doing the same thing every day.

 

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You’re back on tour very soon. Are you looking forward to that? 

I am, but I’m getting a bit nervous too! I’ve done Dublin and London loads, but I’m also doing Belfast, Galway and Bray this time. So I’m looking forward to seeing those other audiences and seeing how they react.

Have you any other exciting plans or goals for the year ahead? 

I’m planning on starting a YouTube and making little behind-the-scenes vlogs from the tour. I’m also going to be professionally filming the Dublin shows so I can share them online and reach more people.

I’m also trying to write a TV series, but that’s going to take a lot of time. But it’s something I’m learning about. Then the festivals will be back this summer, so hopefully I’ll perform at a few of them.

Anna Clifford’s I See Dead(ly) People tour kicks off at Bray Comedy Festival on February 17. She is also performing in Galway, Belfast, Dublin and London, and tickets are on sale here.