The award-winning comedian is currently on the road with her sell-out Living My Best Life tour. She explains why teaching and comedy have so much in common and reveals what makes her laugh
Laura, you’re the embodiment of following your dream, having given up teaching in 2021 to pursue comedy full time - are there any parallels in the two careers, do you think?
Thank you. There are so many parallels, which is why I think a lot of teachers become comedians. Both involve commanding a room, tough crowds, and humour. But, more importantly, both are about reading the room, working out what the general vibe is - whether it’s enthusiasm or hesitancy - and then building on that. Both are about human connection.
What made you want to be a comic in the first place?
I wanted to be a stand-up my whole life. All my family are so funny. It was almost the only thing that mattered growing up: be funny! Full-time teaching and three kids and being in my late 30s I ended up having to ask myself ‘what if?’ What if I went for my dream? What might happen?
What can we expect in your performances?
Jokes! Everyday life. I love being honest about life and all the stuff that connects us. People feel very seen by my comedy. I like to think I say what we are all thinking - about marriage, parenting, social media, celebrities, family!
What sort of things make you laugh?
People - I think everyone has lost the plot. The things we normalise now: the showing off on Instagram, all the attention seeking. I do it too and it’s so funny how we can’t resist it. A woman approached me at a theme park because she was a fan of my comedy clips on socials - her mate came over and made it clear she had never heard of me or seen my stuff and stared me down! That sort of stuff cracks me up.
