Melinda Warren
ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER

Graduates of Humber’s comedy program are living their dream performing as the two-woman sketch comedy troupe Ladystache.

Ladystache was established in 2005 shortly after members Allison Hogg and Steph Tolev graduated from Humber.

“Humber allowed me to try things I never would have done before,” said Hogg.

“I never would have tried stand-up if I hadn’t gone to Humber. [The instructors] just throw you in there and you end up being less scared of being on stage,” Hogg said.

Ladystache had four members when it first began but when two of the original members went their own way it evolved as a two person troupe Hogg said.

“I hate when people say that they have never seen two women like us before,” Hogg said. “It’s kind of like a back-handed compliment because women can be funny.”

Hogg and Tolev have known each other for so long that they are able to play off one another well, said Ellie Gordon-Moershel, a freelance journalist and long-time friend of the two.

“Not only are they an all-female comedy troupe, but the majority of their sketches don’t fit into conventional lady comedian territory,” Gordon-Moershel said.

The two comedians do not have a script they follow for their performances. An idea is planned out and gets built on it from there, Tolev said.

“We have never done a period joke once in our life and we probably never will. We want all genders to remember what we have done and make them laugh,” Tolev said.

“We won’t say the exact same thing twice because we try to keep it as fresh for us as the audience,” said Tolev.

Ladystache just finished its first multiple city tour on Nov 21. They toured the Ontario cities of London, Collingwood, Ottawa, Pembroke and Toronto, as well as Montreal.

Ladystache will be performing Dec. 7 at The Ossington in west Toronto. Additional information can be found at ladystache.com.