Former Progressive Unionist Party leader and ex-MLA Dawn Purvis is to try her hand at a surprising new skill this summer - stand-up comedy.
Ms Purvis, who succeeded the late David Ervine as leader of the fringe unionist party in 2007 and held the post for more than three years, will be taking to the stage next month as part of Belfast’s EastSide Arts Festival.
She is one of several would-be comics to have signed up for a four-week stand-up masterclass course, which will culminate in an evening in which they will perform to a live audience on July 25 at the East Laffs Festival Special event.
The masterclass is being led by experienced comedians including Belfast comedy veteran Nuala McKeever and Los Angeles-based comedian and actor Joel Bryant.
Speaking with The Irish News, Ms Purvis, who served as an MLA for East Belfast between 2007 and 2011, said the thought of performing stand-up comedy on a stage in front of a live audience had initially “made me want to boke”.
“We had our first class there last week and I have to say, it went really, really well,” she said.
“It’s definitely not something I would have ever considered before. I’m used to public speaking, but the thought of doing stand-up comedy, telling jokes and making people laugh made me want to boke.
“But, when I saw the festival programme, I thought, you know what, it might be a challenge, so eventually thought ‘why not’?”
Despite her years in Stormont and leading the PUP, the former MLA insists she will definitely not be performing political material when she takes to the stage at the Harland and Wolff Staff Club.
“I’ll be keeping politics out of it and sticking mostly to observational stuff,” she said.
“It’s early days on the course, and we’re finding out what material best suits our personality type. You can imagine though, given my age and experience, I have a whole lot of material to use.”
Following her career in politics, Ms Purvis went on to become director of the Marie Stopes clinic when it opened in Belfast in 2012, before standing down three years later and eventually taking up a new role as head of corporate affairs with Choice Housing.
As for a future in stand-up, Ms Purvis, - who is also currently vice-chair of the John and Pat Hume Foundation - does not fancy herself as the next Katherine Ryan or Sarah Millican just yet.
“I really don’t know if it’s something I’d continue to do after the gig - my aim is just to get through the night and to try not to bomb on stage,” she added.
“If all else fails, we’ll have Nuala, Joel and the others to at least make sure the audience is laughing.”
