The fear of standing up on stage has passed for Irish comic Mary Bourke who will tread the boards at Dunedin’s Fringe Festival. She gives Rebecca Fox a behind-the-scenes look at being a comedienne.
It is just a job, Irish comic Mary Bourke insists; as if its natural for a person to stand up in front of a crowd trying to make them laugh.
''God no, it's not glamorous in the least. It's me sitting in my PJs working on scripts most of the time,'' she says by phone from her home in London.
She splits her time pretty evenly between stand-up and writing - scripts for sitcoms on radio and television, jokes for speeches (''it's comedy's dirty little secret'') and material for her own shows.
Admittedly, it did not start out that way. It took time to get stage confident and to learn the ropes, especially given she came from a life in academia. She has a doctorate in American history but gave up the life of an academic to do what she wanted.
''As soon as I finished my PhD, I started doing stand-up. My mother was finally happy I was a doctor. My sister is a medical doctor, so Mum has two doctors in the family.''
She did a comedy course and continued to perform until she made a name for herself and could turn professional.
''They say bereavement, death and public speaking are people's greatest fears, but these days I don't [feel fear]. It's just a job, you click into it.
''I might be thinking about the new stuff I'm doing on the show or how many people are out there, but I'm not scared.''
While she can be quite forthright on stage, in ''real life'' she says she is quite quiet.
''Comics can be quite serious, melancholy people. I save my outgoingness for the stage.''
Stand-up appealed to her for many reasons, not least of which was being her own boss.
''It's one of the few jobs you can have full control over. What I write in the afternoon I can say on stage that night. I don't have to pass it through anyone.
''If it goes well, the glory's on me. If it doesn't ...''
And she has been getting plenty of glory for her work. One reviewer for The Guardian wrote: ''Catch her act before she becomes a [complete and utter] cult,'' after an earlier show The Revolution will be Accessorised.
She has taken issue with the patriarchy, fashion, smug housewives and put a different twist on feminism in her shows.
''They're about everyday life.''
It could be a challenge at times to come up with the material for a typical one-hour show.
''It's a very long time. So a themed show helps.''
Having a set writing schedule helped her to get into the rhythm of producing material.
''It is a job. Some days you write good stuff, some days not, but as long as you keep producing.''
She married a fellow comic, Londoner Simon Clayton - who has appeared on television shows Punt And Dennis Show, Jo Brand: Through The Cakehole, Harry Hill's Fruit Fancies, For Amusement Only and Is It Bill Bailey and is known for his improvisation comedy - so they both work from home, are able to bounce ideas off each other and travel together.
''It can be a bit lonely on the road on your own.''
She describes herself as the quieter of the two and says there is no way she could be funny all the time.
''I'm quiet off stage. I'd find it exhausting to have someone making jokes all the time.''
So they are coming to New Zealand for the Dunedin Fringe Festival and a few gigs in Auckland before she goes on to the Melbourne Fringe Festival.
She is looking forward to visiting New Zealand again having holidayed here previously.
''It's beautiful. There is no-one in it - compared to London anyway.''
Bourke first heard of the Dunedin Fringe after comic friends told her they really enjoyed their experience here.
The show she is bringing to Dunedin, Straight out of Dublin, featured at the Edinburgh Fringe last year. She describes it as ''an Irish housewife's guide to life, love and hip-hop.
If you've ever wondered what happened when I met Tupac Shakur in Dublin, or why Jay Z is the worst thing to happen to East Coast hip-hop, or how to live your life with the super confidence of Biggie Smalls, then this is the show for you''.
''It's a mix of music and full-on jokes.''
She is also working with her husband in The International Comedy Club in which they take turns performing.
Bourke hoped Dunedin audiences and any Irish living in the city would appreciate their brand of humour.
''I'm just back from a gig in Germany. The German sense of humour is odd - it was a peculiar, odd tour.''
They have also taken their shows to Cambodia where there is a large expatriate and non-governmental agency population that flocked to their shows.
Comedy clubs are popping up around the world even in Kuala Lumpur where they are also travelling to, she says.
''They have five or six full-time comedy clubs and a Malaysian scene developing.''
When touring they keep in mind that different cultures appreciate different things.
Upon their arrival in Dunedin they will do a walk around the city to get a feel for it, looking for ''anything unusual''.
Although she admits what she is most looking forward to in her visit South is tasting the region's wine.
