Suzi Ruffell has spent the last year touring her new stand-up show, Snappy, and it’s finally on its way to Ireland! Ahead of her gigs in Belfast and Dublin on October 14 and 15, respectively, the renowned LGBTQ+ comedian spoke to GCN about what audiences can look forward to.

“It’s things that have happened to me since the last time I was on the road, basically,” she began. 

“The biggest thing that’s happened is I’ve become a parent, and I got married, and because of becoming a parent, my anxiety came back in quite a big way. So, a fair bit of the show is about me dealing with anxiety and sort of fears around becoming a parent, and also about becoming sort of a queer parent and what that means in the broader sense of the world where sometimes it still feels like things aren’t quite where they should be yet.”

Although dealing with some rather serious topics, Ruffell assured that she is shining a light on the harder things in order “to laugh at them and to have control over them”.

“The most important thing is that it’s funny…I always want it to be as funny as it can possibly be. But I think that when you make people laugh, you’re connecting with people, and that’s a great way to share your insight into the world.”

✨ Suzi Ruffell brings her brand new stand-up show Snappy to Liberty Hall, Dublin on Sunday October 15th 2023? Tickets on sale now? https://t.co/OwNseTLZHj pic.twitter.com/9FrzdJEgrA

— MCD Productions (@mcd_productions) July 14, 2023

With this viewpoint, Suzi Ruffell uses her platform to bring up issues that are important and prominent in her life. 

“There’s always been a political element of my stand up because I think purely by being a woman on stage, to a certain degree, is a political act. I think being a gay woman on stage is a little bit more even,” she explained, adding that she is “grabbing (the opportunity) with both hands”.

Snappy is now on its third extension, having grown and grown since its initial 25 dates around the UK.

“It’s been amazing,” she reflected. “It’s been my probably most fun tour to date. I’ve loved every show; there’ve been awesome audiences.”

While the October shows will mark Suzi’s first time performing in Ireland, it’s not her first time visiting the country. 

Recently, she took part in an online mini-series called Stand Up Road Trip alongside Irish comedian Seán Burke. Together, the pair travelled from the Ancient East to the Hidden Heartlands and, finally, the Wild Atlantic Way, to experience the culture of Ireland.

Along the ride, Ruffell tried her first Guinness, got an inside look at the production of Aran jumpers, and also discovered her unlocked potential as a Bodhrán player.

Now, she has set her sights on the Irish capital, saying: “I’m really excited! Dublin has been a place where people have said for a long time, please come bring the show to Dublin.

“I don’t really have a profile at all in Ireland…I don’t know if I have an audience at all there, so I’m a bit nervous to be totally honest, but I’m really excited. I’m really, really excited.”

Regarding what she hopes audiences will get out of the show, she added, “I really hope that people come away feeling uplifted…I really hope that people leave feeling happier than when they walked in.”

Suzi Ruffell brings her show Snappy to Dublin’s Liberty Hall Theatre on Sunday, October 15. Limited tickets are still available; get yours here.