Angela Barnes, a trailblazing comedian, was born in 1965 to Jamaican parents in the London borough of Lewisham. Her early life was marked by a passion for the performing arts, which led her to join the Second Wave Women's drama group and attend stage school. Although she initially pursued a career as an actress, she soon discovered that her dyslexia made it challenging to sight-read scripts, forcing her to reevaluate her path.
Undeterred, Barnes made the bold decision to become Britain's first black stand-up comedienne. Her debut comedy show, "Funny Black Women on the Edge," premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe in 1994 and received widespread acclaim. The show's success was followed by a staging at the Theatre Royal, Stratford East, and her self-penned series, "The Brothers," was adapted into a successful production, appearing in three different media formats: radio, television, and stage.
As of 2012, Barnes was set to appear in the sitcom "The Ryan Sisters," while also devoting her time to Straight to Audience, a production company she founded to nurture young talent in the art of stand-up comedy. Through her work, Barnes has consistently pushed boundaries, breaking down barriers and paving the way for future generations of comedians.
