WHEN Hylda Baker was at the height of her popularity in the 1950s she had few rivals.

Until relatively recently comediennes still faced an uphill battle for recognition - but today there seems to be as many females as males on the theatre circuit.

One of them, Jean Fergusson, metamorphoses into Hylda, superbly recreating her unique brand of gossip, anecdotes and songs in She Knows You Know !

Jean is appearing at the Liverpool Neptune from July 1 to 5 and the same theatre will play host to two other girlie entertainers during the next few weeks.

Lynne Fitzgerald will play 10 characters in Marc Gee's hilarious Bunty the Bouncer from May 7 to 10 while the talented Geraldine McNulty will play seven women who are Dumped and Devastated on May 23 and 24.

Geraldine's recent comic monologues have included 10 Women in a One Frock Show and Don't Dilly Dally in the Duodenum.

Jo Brand, the former psychiatric nurse who has become one of our most successful female comics, will be giving her razor-sharp perspective on the world at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester on May 15.

Manchester's Sophie Hannah will be in cabaret for the BBC's Music Live 97event at the Frog and Bucket on May 21 and you can catch satirical Sally Grace at the same venue two nights later.

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