Interview: LGBTQTeeHee comedy with Rob Beck

LGBTQTeeHee is a programme from the Rep which brings LGBTQ+ people together in comedy and wellbeing. The theatre’s Drama Practitioner, Rob Beck, spoke to Midlands Rainbow in depth about the inspiration, aim and power of the comedy programme.

“The project came out of a moment of profound sadness; a friend from the community sadly took their own life,” Rob Beck admits.

He continues: “At the same time, my partner and I had gone to watch All of Us Strangers (a beautifully moving film, if you haven’t seen it) and were struck by the themes of queer isolation and loneliness central to the story. We wanted to create a space which was not only joyful and empowering, but which also brought the community together in a safe and uplifting environment where they could be themselves and also have a laugh together. Thus, TeeHee was born.

“Primarily, the programme aims to bring LGBTQ+ people together to share experiences in a non-judgemental space where they are seen and can take up space without fear. The programme is also about learning skills in the art of stand-up comedy.

“The group take their lived experiences and, supported by expert comedians and well-being professionals, turn them into self-affirming and empowering comedy performances. By the end of the 10-week programme, each member of the group will have written and rehearsed a 5-minute set of brand-new comedy material which they will perform at The Rep. Through comedy, we aim to help each member of the group learn new skills, boost their mental health and feel like a superhero. 

LGBTQTeeHee returns for a second year in 2025.

Rob explains: “We learned so much from running the project last year and are so grateful to every member of the team who came with us and helped us find out exactly what it was that we wanted to achieve. We witnessed the power of the project and the huge effect that it had on our participants.

“For TeeHee 2.0, our process is more refined and we plan to dive right in with a new and improved programme for 2025. We’re lucky to be bringing a few old faces with us from last time around, plus some wonderful new artists and practitioners to help train and support the group. Ultimately, it will be our new group of participants who will help shape this iteration of LGBTQTeeHee. It will be their stories which drive the project forward into this new year and I’m so incredibly excited to meet them and get started.  

“The grim reality is that, for many members of the LGBTQ+ community, it is an incredibly challenging time to exist! It can feel that hostility is everywhere you look right now and people feel increasingly threatened. Yet, laughter is one of those universal things which brings us together and can give us a tiny bit of respite from what can feel like the endless crush of bad news and misery.

“Through this programme, we aim to create a tiny oasis of joy – a small patch of light in the darkness – where our participants know they will be seen, heard and kept safe.  

“It is also worth noting how stand-up comedy has, for a long time, been dominated by a limited range of voices. Female comics, differently-abled comics and queer comics have often struggled to be taken seriously. I do think that’s changing and I’m heartened to see more diverse comedians taking up space in the mainstream such as the excellent Rosie Jones and, of course, Birmingham’s own Joe Lycett. I do think that more still needs to be done to ensure that stand-up comedy is as accessible as possible and as diverse as possible so that everyone’s stories are being heard.

"Wouldn’t it be great if, through this programme, we launch the careers of some of Birmingham’s next generation of queer comedians on the world!”

Birmingham Rep and LGBTQTeeHee present the Comedy Festival on Friday 21^st November. The show will début Birmingham’s newest comedians, and joining them on the line-up are some familiar faces from 2024’s programme and a headline performance from drag royalty, Yshee Black.

Find out more and book online: www.birmingham-rep.co.uk/whats-on/lgbtqteehee-comedy-festival/