Interview with Janey Godley

I recently had the privilege of conducting an e-interview with an actress/comedian/writer from the UK. Janey Godley is the author of an award winning blog, which started in 2004. Godley stated by owning a bar and stumbled into the performing arts after she got tired of the bar scene. She worked as a comedian and discovered that she was, in fact, very talented.

Due to the fact that the performing arts business is so competitive, performers must find ways to market themselves effectively. Godley found that her blog was one of the best ways to publicize her performances.

“My blog is posted on 170 sites weekly and gathers thousands of readers. I also use twitter and facebook to advertise my shows/videos/blogs, etc.” says Godley. Clearly the internet revolution has done wonders to help advertise the performing arts.

Godley always loved the theatre and dreamed of going on stage. She started by watching performances at the Citizens Theatre in Glasgow, and then she “got involved in amateur drama.”

Janey Godley is the author of the critically acclaimed memoir, Handstands in the Dark; a story of her life of poverty, gang violence and child abuse. One of her most difficult performances was the night after she had been in court all day describing the sexual abuse that she had suffered as a child.

“Comedy was hard after that horrific daytime event,” says Godley, “but comedy helped me overcome all of my fears and it worked.” For more information please refer to Godley’s memoir.

Leading a life of performing arts is never easy, but the evident payoffs are extraordinary.