Nana Funk returns to Colchester Fringe with a funkalicious smorgasbord of fun. Musical bingo, karaoke, and An Evening With Nana Funk – Back by popular demand for ONE NIGHT ONLY – ‘An Evening with Nana Funk’ is a character led comedy starring Nana Funk, a whoknowshowoldanarian cabaret star, burlesque icon and political firebrand in sequin slippers. An hour long One Nana cabaret studio show with stadium ambitions. Dr.Pants sits with this Colchester Fringe icon.
NAP: Nana Funk. I love you. Fringe loves you. You are fantabulous. Tell us about your three events:
NF: Show A) Bingo = it’s bingo – but no balls! Just fabulous music to sing along to AND some songs from me!
Show B) Karaoke = it does what it says on the karaoke tin!
Show C) The time has come for Nana to get intimate. She’s sick of the stadium life and is now touring to smaller scale venues so she can get up close and personal with her army of fans. Get taken on a hilarious and emotional roller coaster as Nana challenges ageism and gives her not so subtle opinions on what it means to be “age appropriate”.
NAP: For those who don’t know much about you Nana Funk. Why should we care? What does Nana Funk do that other don’t?
Have you ever seen a ukulele-playing grandma covered in sequins while she strips to Christina Aguilera? No, I didn’t think so. All that plus my decades of showbiz experience help to make me the world’s best agony aunt…or nana.
NAP: Who inspired you as an artist to become Nana Funk?
NF: Influences include Catherine Ahern (Mrs Merton), Catherine O’Hara, Victoria Wood, Carissa Hendrick (Lucy Darling), Alex Lowe (Clinton Baptiste), Flo & Joan, Emer Maguire, Showstoppers, Jess McKenna & Zach Reino (Off Book), School of Night, Julia Davis & Vicki Pepperdine (Dear Joan and Jericha), Jane McDonald, Alison Moyet. Any many many more. All of these people have a joyous ready to fail and enjoy the fail philosophy. Some I have seen in person, some only on screen but their ease of trusting their brains and is like watching a masterclass each time. I have been compared to Mrs Merton, Lucy Darling and Victoria Wood!
NAP: Out of all of those, who would you love to share a stage with most?
NF: Jane McDonald. I KNOW there’s a duet waiting to happen!
NAP: Why did you choose to grace Colchester Fringe with your presence? Nana Funk is an international starling. Why choose our small city?
NF: I was lucky enough to perform at Prague Fringe Festival in 2025 (where I won a the Brian’s Life Best Comedy Award!) and I was informed that Colchester Fringe was very good friends with the Prague Festival so applied to perform. They said yes and I had THE BEST time last year. So I asked to come back…and they said yes!!!
NAP: Doing three DIFFERENT events is not easy. What’s been the biggest challenge?
NF: Getting older!! I have a very strong message in my work about how we’re treated as we get older and although I very much want to push against the stereotypes about getting old, traveling and performing is definitely more tiring than 10 years ago. I’m a 53 peri menopausal woman with an arthritic hip…my after show routine has moved from dancing til the wee hours to a wee nightcap in my pj’s!
NAP: How do you keep your energy up? What’s your go to snack?
NF: Babybell with marmite & salad cream
NAP: An Evening With Nana Funk is a silly and wonderful celebration of ageing and getting older. You are an inspiration to us all. What is your hope for audiences whenever they see your play?
NF: Last year I was lucky enough to be reviewed by Anuska Banerjee at The Colchester Gazette and she said EXACTLY what I want to hear
“There is a warmth in her performance, a devastating observational humour, but with an edge that feels vital and urgent. What struck me most powerfully was how moving it all was. Yes, I laughed until my sides ached. Yes, “Na na na na na na” has been playing on loop in my head for days.
But beneath the comedy lies something profoundly important: a dismantling of the archaic, terrifying imagery we’re presented about older women. Nana Funk doesn’t just challenge ageism—she obliterates it with style, sass, and spectacular musicality.
Here was a character who made growing older look not just acceptable, but genuinely cool. Aspirational, even.
NAP: Who would win in a fight: Nana funk or Supergran?
NF: Oh, Supergran!! Definitely. I’m a wimp!
Nana Funk will be performing Musical bingo on Sat 31 October 4:00 pm and Sun 1 November 4:30 pm, karaoke on Sat 31 October 10:00 pm, and An Evening With Nana Funk on Sun 1 November 7:30 pm during Colchester Fringe. While you’re here, why don’t you read about the rest of our coverage of Colchester Fringe including how to get ‘FREE CRISPS’, the magic of animal sex, and the world premiere of a messy psychological thriller by FringeReview’s very own Dr.Pants.
