Funny Cow charts the rise to stardom of a female comedienne through the 1970’s and 1980’s. It is set against the backdrop of working men’s clubs and the stand-up comedy circuit of the North of England.
From her troubled childhood to her turbulent adult relationships, the Funny Cow uses the raw material of her life experiences to bring her unique style of comedy to the stage. A stand-up comedienne in an all-male world, Funny Cow delivers tragedy and comedy in equal measure.
Funny Cow is literally Maxine Peake’s show, as she narrates her tough life – and the Film – from a later point of success through a televised monologue. Her no-nonsense honesty is reminiscent of a Victoria Wood piece or Julie Walters role, which puts the audience in the right headspace for the chuckles and struggles that lie ahead.
Funny Cow is a wickedly funny Film, with a self-aware streak, capturing the zeitgeist of the era perfectly thanks to the fantastic attention to detail and set dressing.
Maxine Peake is tremendous, an actor at the top of their game.
Maxine Peake is tremendous, her quivering lip and sudden glances to camera, almost breaking the fourth wall, showcase an actor at the top of their game. She is innocent but strong; tough enough but delicate. It may not be entirely ground-breaking but Funny Cow remains uplifting, utterly heartfelt and as cosy as a warm cup of tea.
Brilliantly caustic
Maxine Peake dominates the screen as producer and star of this painful, angry film written by Tony Pitts and directed by Adrian Shergold, about a fictional female club comedian fighting her way to the top, or at least the middle, in 1970s Britain.