Entertainment
Funny Woman reviewed by comedian and The Traitors star Hannah Byczkowski: ‘Why Gemma Arterton’s new drama drove me mad’-Ruth Lawes-Entertainment – Metro
Hannah rated the comedy a ‘generous’ two out of five stars.
Funny Woman sees Barbara Parker make it in Swinging London (Picture: Sky )
Funny Woman follows Gemma Arterton’s character Barbara Parker transformation into a national comedy star from a small-town beauty queen, but comic and The Traitors winner Hannah Byczkowski isn’t buying it.
Adapted from Nick Hornby’s book of the same name, the Sky drama sees Barbara jack in Blackpool for the bright lights of 60s London and begin her ascent to stardom after a brief stint in a department store.
Adopting the jazzier name Sophie Straw, she deals with her sleazy agent played by Rupert Everett, who’s more interested in hooking her up with a gig in a strip club, before landing a role on a primetime sitcom.
Hannah, 32, is no stranger to either comedy, having performed as a stand-up for the past two years, or TV shows that have gripped the nation after her stint on The Traitors.
After (rightfully) insisting that she was ‘100% Faithful’, Hannah was crowned champion of the Claudia Winkleman presented programme, along with Aaron Evans and Meryl Williams.
While she said that aspects of Funny Woman ‘were close to her experience’, Hannah confessed that watching the drama made her ‘really mad.’
Hannah shot to fame on the hit TV show The Traitors (Picture: BBC/Studio Lambert Associates)
The performer described the character of Barbara as ‘really annoying’ and thought the show pushed the idea that being attractive and funny were mutually exclusive due to the repeated references to her beauty.
She explained: ‘She can still be attractive and be a comedian – you don’t just have to be minging to do comedy.
‘It would have been more powerful to have not addressed her appearance. If she just so happened to be a really beautiful woman who was doing comedy, that would have been much more interesting.’
Hannah won The Traitors with Aaron and Meryl (Credits: PA)
Hannah admitted she struggled to ‘connect’ with Barbara because she found her ‘unlikeable’, particularly when it came down to her relationships with loved ones.
She said that she didn’t even believe she had a ‘meaningful’ rapport with her number one supporter, her father, played by David Threlfall.
This meant that Hannah found Barbara’s comedy performance flat in Funny Woman as she lacked an ‘aura of authenticity.’
Hannah awarded Funny Woman two out of five stars (Picture: Getty Images)
‘The thing with comedy, which is really interesting, and I say it all the time, is that you have to give the audience a part of yourself,’ she continued.
‘Because if you don’t, then no one’s buying it. And if they’re not buying it, they’re not interested in what you want and what you’re saying.’
As for Barbara’s performances in the sitcom, Hannah says that the delivery of her lines are ‘sometimes really dry.’
‘For a so-called funny woman, she’s not very funny,’ she added. ‘It’s performance and personality that the wins comedy round more than anything. And I just don’t see any of that from Gemma Arterton’s character at all.
‘But this is not to drag Gemma Arterton [it’s about the character]. I think she’s really, really talented and I’ve seen her in lots of stuff.’
Hannah also branded Rupert Everett’s character a ‘stereotype’ of a ‘classic, sleazy’ agent and called for more nuanced roles
While noting that a TV show needs to be fast-paced and is for entertainment, Hannah said she found the presentation of a comedy career ‘frustrating’ for making it appear like it ‘fell into Barbara’s lap.’
She added: ‘I would have liked to have seen the representation of the grind. If you want it, you can get it, but you have to work for it. I would have liked to have seen a bit more grit to it.’
What did chime with Hannah in Funny Woman, however, was the dream of following a life in the limelight after growing up in a smaller town and Barabra’s longing for something ‘bigger.’
She explained: ‘I do remember that feeling when I was like in my mid-20s, especially before I started doing comedy when I turned 30, that there was something more out there then there was in my hometown. I do resonate with that.’
More: Trending
Hannah awarded Funny Woman a ‘generous’ two out of five stars. Do you agree with her verdict?
Funny Woman is available to stream on Now.
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
MORE : Gemma Arterton secretly welcomed first baby with Rory Keenan ‘just before Christmas’
Entertainment – MetroRead More
