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KIRI PRITCHARD-MCLEAN Rising comic in plea for empathy in these divided times
Good news for writers and performers is pretty low on the ground just now, but for Kiri Pritchard- McLean there’s a ray of hope. The BBC have just announced that she’s the recipient of this year’s Caroline Aherne Bursary which offers a nice lump sum and some mentoring to develop a comedy script. On receiving the award, Pritchard-McLean said it was ‘an honour to be associated with Caroline in any way. Now I can pretend my endless rewatching of Mrs Merton and The Royle Family is for work and not just me being a creepy fangirl.’
Cash in the bank, she can now hopefully concentrate for a spell on her live work as Empathy Pains continues its journey across the UK. This host of Newsjack, the non-performing writer of scary sketch groups Gein’s Family Giftshop and Tarot (whose spring tour dates have now been shifted to the autumn) and true crime co-podcaster of All Killa No Filla, Pritchard-McLean’s current show wonders why empathy is seen by some as a weakness, when it’s surely a great strength of humanity in strained times. We’re keeping fi ngers crossed that her live dates are fulfi lled, but an August Fringe run of this show will be another chance to glimpse a rising star at full pelt. (Brian Donaldson) ■ The Stand, Glasgow, Mon 13 Apr; The Stand, Edinburgh, Tue 14 Apr.
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1 Apr–31 May 2020 THE LIST 65