Making their own laughs: LIPA grads creating careers in comedy

Comedy - and stand-up in particular - isn’t one of LIPA’s core disciplines. Yet it’s a path an increasing number of graduates are choosing to follow.  

As part of our 30th anniversary celebrations, we spoke to four Acting graduates to find out why they’ve been drawn to one of the most challenging performance arts - and how it’s giving them creative control in an unpredictable industry.   

“Comedy was always on my radar, but I got sucked into this world of acting. Even when I got into LIPA, I knew it was something I was going to try at some stage.” 

Acting graduate Thor Stenhaug (2018) has just completed a UK tour of his stand-up show One Night Stand Baby and is now taking it to Australia. 

For him, comedy was always on the to-do list. For Rhoni Cash (Acting, 2016), it was the complete opposite. 

“When I first came to LIPA, I wanted to be a 'serious actor'. I wanted to do Shakespeare. The idea of doing stand-up was my worst nightmare.” 

Then Covid hit, prompting a re-think.  “Pre-lockdown, I’d got into a groove and was working consistently, but afterwards it started to fall away. I was in a rut. I had a real think about what I wanted to do, and it was comedy – but I wasn’t getting auditions for those roles. So, I thought, if I’m able to say I’m a comedian, maybe that will get me seen.” 

In 2023, with trepidation – and a spot of Dutch courage – Rhoni signed up for a course at the Angel Comedy Club and began writing stand-up material. She now MCs comedy nights, took a show with fellow graduate Beth Fox, Thirty, Flirty and Dying, to the Edinburgh Fringe and is developing her first solo show, blending stand-up and character comedy. 

“I signed up to the course to shake things up, to scare myself and re-invigorate myself creatively. I didn’t expect to love it as much as I do.” 

Grace Long (Acting, 2019) arrived at LIPA with relatively little acting experience but quickly began to find her voice. “There was a lot of encouragement to write your own material and I realised I was more of a writer-performer than just an actor.” 

Inspired by Lena Dunham's Girls, she started to create her own work. “It was the first time I’d seen someone write, direct, act and be so relatable for young women. It had a big influence on me, and any opportunity I had at LIPA - whether performing or writing - I took. That naturally lent itself to comedy.” 

Rather than stand-up, Grace turned to social media, building a platform for her character-based comedy. She has since amassed more than 44 million likes and 719,000 followers. Like Rhoni, the pandemic proved to be a turning point. 

“During lockdown I saw other actors posting material and decided to have a go. I thought it might help me get seen and gain exposure. It has led to opportunities - but it’s also become my main source of income.” 

Since graduating in 2022, Daniel McCreanor has become a regular on the UK comedy circuit, driven by a simple desire to perform. “I just wanted to be on stage. That wasn’t always possible as an actor – you’re waiting for productions to come around.” 

At LIPA, he made his own opportunities. “I took every chance I could, whether it was performing in the bar or jumping on a show someone was putting on around Liverpool. I’d ask if I could do five minutes. I’ve always had that itch to perform. 

“I put on a 45-minute show at LIPA in my third year – which with hindsight was incredibly naive! But you are surrounded by an infectious attitude of ‘let’s just create stuff’. And LIPA’s a safe space to try stuff out. I knew however it went I’d be fine.”  

Whatever the route into comedy, all four graduates acknowledge its challenges. 

“As an actor you can hide behind the director or the writer,” Dan says. “But as a comic, you’re all those things. You're the judge, jury and executioner, that’s the pressure – but it’s also the appeal.” 

Online, the response can be just as unpredictable. For Grace, the key is not to overthink it. “I’m used to the ups and downs of the algorithm. I’ve always gone with: if I find it funny, it’s worth pursuing. Sometimes you’ll post something you’re unsure about and it gets a million views. That’s the brilliance of it – you never know how it’s going to land.” 

Despite the uncertainty, all four point to their training as a vital foundation. 

After graduating, Thor spent the summer at home in Norway before returning to the UK to start working the open mic circuit. “When I started in London, there were so many people who wanted to be comedians. It’s incredibly competitive. But my experience at LIPA gave me an edge. I knew how to perform on a stage, what energy I wanted to bring, how to use body language.” 

For Rhoni, her acting background is both a strength and a challenge. “It’s definitely an advantage when you’re getting on stage and you’re nervous. But if I slip into performance mode, I stop listening to the room. You have to stay responsive – that’s where techniques like Meisner and being present really help.” 

Grace credits LIPA with building her confidence. “When I started, I was a very awkward, self-conscious 18-year-old. Turning up every day and being willing to make a fool of yourself - and be OK with that - has helped enormously.” 

And for Dan, the reward comes from backing yourself. “The satisfaction comes from taking a punt on yourself. When something clicks, it’s like finishing a puzzle – and then you move straight on to the next joke.” 

From its inception in 1996, LIPA has encouraged students to create their own opportunities. The experiences of these four graduates show that approach in action – being proactive, taking risks, backing yourself and refining your craft. 

As Thor Stenhaug puts it, ultimately: “If they’re not laughing, it’s not because they don’t like you – it’s because the jokes aren’t good enough.”