COMEDY

The Best Women I Know is a comedy celebrating the women in our lives. The show is an hilarious and relevant reflection of the diverse and absurd experiences of being a woman in today’s world. Through a series of comedic sketches and poetry, the show explores the multifaceted roles and personalities of women, from mother to mechanic and everything in between.

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The show platforms the writing and performing talents of women with comedic and poetic backgrounds to bring a rich range of styles and experience. Our team include:

Zannier Alejandra (Writer)

A Bolivian writer, who worked as a banker in a former life. Nowadays, she spends most of her time writing, watching TV, analysing TV and talking about TV — occasionally, she even gets paid for some of these things.

Nadine Bailey (Writer/ Performer/ Producer)

A improviser and sketch comedian, she has performed in national and international comedy festivals with her short form improv group Gämez (Hoopla’s longest running house team), and as part of sketch group Next Level Sketch. She was a quarter finalist in 2024’s Sketch Off with her sketch/ clown duo Shoes & Socks, and she can also be seen regularly on the London improv circuit as part of FA house Harold team Triple Denim.

Grace Davis (Writer/ Poet)

Grace (she/they), is a professional writer with a Masters in Dramatic Writing from Central Saint Martins. They believe comedy can get us through the hardest of times and it’s an outlet we all universally need. They are excited to bring characters that have only been seen by their overly encouraging fiancé Claudia Novati to a wider audience.

Lucia Debernardini (Writer/ Performer)

Lucia Debernardini is an Argentine comedian based in London.  Her short film Finsta was the winner of the 2022 Royal Television Society’s Comedy & Entertainment Award, and she is a graduate of the National Film & Television School’s Comedy Writing & Producing diploma.

Katie Dunstan (Poet)

Katie Dunstan is fascinated by poetry, in particular the power it has to connect, to heal and to document the lives we live.  She is the co-founder and host of The Poetry Lounge (@thepoetryloungelondon) - an open mic night in Highgate, literary pharmacist at The Poetry Pharmacy, occasional poet chef with The Poetry Takeaway, and creative workshop facilitator with people in a variety of spaces. Her work has been published in Magma (Performance edition 2024) and Ten Poems of Hope by Candlestick Press (2023). She loves the colour yellow.

Ellen Gould  (Writer/ Performer)

Ellen is an applied theatre practitioner who designs and runs drama, communication, and creative ESOL workshops across London. She loves good books, great films, and bad TV. In her free time, she enjoys making lists and going to plays and gigs. She will trade friendship bracelets with you.

Jess Grynfeld (Poet)

Jess Grynfeld is a London-based poet and co-founder of eco-poetry collective Wild Thing Poetry. Her work has appeared in a number of publications including 14 magazine. You can find her on instagram @jessgpoetry.

Nell Guy (Writer/ Performer)

Nell is an improviser from New Zealand, since 2013, she has performed regularly with Improsaurus (NZ), Impro Melbourne (Aus), and currently performs with GÄMEZ (UK). When not fan-girling over ‘The Best Women I Know’ team, she can be found wandering London's museums and art galleries, and trying not to buy too many postcards from the gift shop.

Sumina Kasuji (Writer)

Sumina is an improviser and plays with the improv team 'NANA' (at The Free Association, London)'. Sumina loves the playfulness and silliness that comes with performing comedy. When not making things up, Sumina is probably either teaching maths or taking pictures of cats.

Elena Menezes (Writer/ Performer)

Elena (she/her) is a London-based improviser, sketch comedian, and extremely silly sausage. She performs with Curious Planet and Rose, Bud, Thorn. During the day, she attempts to shape young minds as a teacher. In her free time, she loves listening intently to a rare groove, being engrossed in a play, and drinking tea with her grandma.

Claudia Novatii  (Writer/ Performer)

Claudia (she/her), a trained Actor who decided to specialise in Voice at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, and to spend her evenings playing and teaching Improv. Although she is proud of her work on stage, her favourite characters and scenes find life in her living room/kitchen while being extremely silly with Grace Davis, her fiancée

Flex Toomey (Writer/ Performer)

Flex performs with Bristol-based improv crew The Groundhogs (not to be confused with the acclaimed prog rock band formed in 1963). She is a frequent performer at Bristol Improv Theatre and has trained at iO Chicago and the Free Association.