"really good lines...a very promising act" Notts Comedy Review
"Ploughed on gamely"
Bruce Dessau,
Beyond The Joke
So You Think You're Funny Grand Finalist 2018
Bath New Act Runner Up 2019
"gently incisive"
Bath Echo
****
"One to watch"
Funny Women
Currently Semi-finalist Komedia New Act
"...The best moments of the night were when the comics moved us into more unexpected topics. From this perspective Chelsea Birkby absolutely deserved her slot as headline act, with an effortless set that covered the philosophy of existentialism and the comparative wisdoms of Jean-Paul Sartre and Kim Kardashian West" Oxford Opening Night
"a rising star"
"Chelsea had the crowd roaring...with a stunnning performance" Ox in a Box
"Chelsea Birkby felt most at home on zoom...took advantage of the format which helped them stand up on a line up crowded with bigger names" Cherwell
"Chelsea Birkby talked skillfully, my jaw soon aching with laughter" "Talked Frankly about mental illness" 4* Oxford Times.
Leicester Square New Act of the Year
Semi-Finalist
“A surprise hit was Chelsea Birkby, whose innocent appearance and nervous demeanour belied an hilarious set peppered with cheeky adult humour.”, Oxford Mail
"good gags...seemed to tickle herself"
Steve Bennett,
Chortle
"Chelsea Birkby talks clubbing, The British Kiss and being bi-polar...watchable, personal" The Scotsman
"She's a natural mc...a cute puppy's worth of cleverness and class. I guarantee anyone at the fringe will enjoy" ****
Mumble
Chelsea is a multi-award-nominated comedian who has performed at top UK clubs (The Stand, Comic Boom Komedia Brighton, Backyard) as well as at The Playhouse with James Acaster, Nish Kumar, Ed Gamble and more at Oxfordshire Mind’s Comedy Gala (18, 19, 20) and the prestigious Oxford Comedy Debate. Chelsea is a regular opener for nights across South West and Midlands and regular MC for award-winning Jericho Comedy. She regularly is invited to perform on specialist gigs such as mental-health-themed nights, Stand up Philosophy, Stand up Literature, Alternative Book Club and LGBTQ+ nights. She is a go-to act for booking thoughtful nights about heavier or more academic topics. Having started in 2017, Chelsea has since done several hundred gigs, a tax return and taken two shows to the Edinburgh Fringe: Odd Two Out with Matt Hobs and Bad Boys with Jamie D’Souza with packed out rooms and a 4-star review and a tax return. She is working on her debut hour ‘Sexistentialism’, with WIP coming to you as soon as it's safe!
During the various stages of lockdown, Chelsea took part in many drive-in shows with
@thedrivein to hundreds of cars (with people in!), developed a "pioneering
approach" to online comedy, placing second in the New Online Comedian
of the Year competition, and featured in Chortle's "Most memorable gigs
of 2020", with Steve Bennet praising Chelsea for being "a dab hand".
As heard on:
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BBC Radio 4 Extra
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BBC Radio Oxford
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Regular: BBC Oxford The Laugh Lounge
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Union Jack FMs One Night Stand
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Competitions:
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Bath New Act 3rd place 2019
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New Online Comedian Of the Year Finalist 2020
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Leicester Square New Comedian Semi-Finalist 2018, 2019
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Komedia New Act, Semi-Finalist 2020
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2NorthDown New Act, Semi-Final Stage 2020
Podcast appearances