Fresh from a sell out run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Harriet Kemsley is bringing her new critically acclaimed show ‘Honeysuckle Island’ to the Soho Theatre and then touring nationally this autumn.
Fed up with being told how to look and behave since she was a teenager, Harriet is taking a long hard squint at the beauty industry through her two remaining false eye lashes. She channels her personal experiences into this hilarious show, sharing anecdotes and jokes on the vicious cycle of beauty enhancement.
When she was 11 Harriet designed a dream holiday destination called ‘Honeysuckle Island’. It had waterfalls and ziplines, wild animals and everything a preteen could ever wish for. And on rediscovering her design last year Harriet spotted that she’d also included a cellulite machine.
Since having a baby daughter at the end of 2021 Harriet is reassessing societal pressures on women, bringing a funny, light, and important message of self-acceptance, embracing one’s uniqueness and Harriet’s unusual solutions to current beauty trends.
Harriet began her stand-up career in 2011, and within months, won the Funny’s Funny contest. Harriet’s other accolades include the Leicester Mercury New Act of the Year Finalist, Up The Creek New Act of the Year and Leicester Square New Act of the Year Finalist. She has been described by Time Out as ‘a very funny rising star’ and as one of Rhod Gilbert’s ‘Ten Comics to See’ in the Mail on Sunday. Harriet last appeared at the Edinburgh Festival in 2018 with her sell out show ‘Slutty Joan’ which went on to tour nationwide.
Harriet’s television appearances include performing on Live at the Apollo (BBC1, BBC2), as a panellist on 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown (Channel 4), Hypothetical (Dave), Roast Battle (Comedy Central), Guessable (Comedy Central), As Yet Untitled (Dave), Comedy Central at The Comedy Store and her own show with her husband Bobby & Harriet Get Married (Viceland & Comedy Central). She also hosts a podcast, ‘Why Is Harriet Crying?’ with fellow comedian Sunil Patel. As an actress, she has appeared on both film and TV, including the film Bonobo, and on Channel 4’s Damned and BBC’s Doctor Foster. She also provided the voice of Nashandra, the final boss of the video game Dark Souls II.
Upcoming television appearances include more 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown (Channel 4) & Hypothetical (Dave) as well as House of Games (BBC), This is My House (BBC 1) and Question Team (Dave).
Tue 13 -17 Sept London Soho Theatre
Sat 1 Oct Brighton Komedia
https://www.komedia.co.uk/brighton/
Sun 2 Oct Newport Pagnell The Cannon Pub
https://www.wegottickets.com/event/539759
Thu 6 Oct Aberdeen The Lemon Tree
https://www.aberdeenperformingarts.com/lemon-tree/
Fri 7 Oct Hawick Heart of Hawick
Sat 8 Oct Stockton ARC
Sun 9 Oct Edinburgh Monkey Barrel
https://www.monkeybarrelcomedy.com
Thu 13 Oct Leeds The Oak
https://tickets.ents24.com/event/harriet-kemsley-/the-original-oak/2165081?inf=e398fe7278cf9d5f
Thu 20 Oct Aldershot West End Centre
https://www.westendcentre.co.uk
Fri 21 Oct Leicester Firebug
Sat 22 Oct Cambridge Junction
Sun 23 Oct Birmingham Glee
Thu 27 Oct Winchester The Arc
https://www.arcwinchester.org.uk
Fri 28 Oct Oxford Glee
Thu 3 Nov Portsmouth Guildhall Studio
https://portsmouthguildhall.org.uk/conferencing/spaces/guildhall-studio/
Fri 4 Nov Bath Rondo
Mon 7 Nov Nottingham Glee
Thu 10 Nov Liverpool Hot Water
https://www.hotwatercomedy.co.uk/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwjbyYBhCdARIsAArC6LLqDFRH6htRmQyrUTEQ7mJOis-uPhRVl1wwOdaV6V0WUjfBg8vqGI8aAh-cEALw_wcB
Fri 11 Nov Southend Dixon Studio
https://southendtheatres.org.uk/online/whatson-palace-dixon
Sat 12 Nov Bristol Tobacco Factory Theatre
Sun 13 Nov Coventry Warwick Arts Centre
https://www.warwickartscentre.co.uk
Thu 17 Nov Bridgwater McMillan Theatre
https://www.mcmillantheatre.com
Wed 23 Nov Cardiff Glee
Thu 24 Nov New Milton Forest Arts Centre
https://www.forest-arts.co.uk/event/harriet-kemsley-honeysuckle-island
Fri 25 Nov Colchester Arts Centre
https://www.colchesterartscentre.com
Sat 26 Nov Corsham Pound Arts
Wed 30 Nov Glasgow The Stand
https://www.thestand.co.uk/glasgow/
Thu 1 Dec Manchester XS Malarkey
Tue 6 Dec Norwich Voodoo Daddy’s Showroom
https://www.voodoodaddysshowroom.co.uk
Sat 10 Dec Canterbury Gulbenkian
