Manila’s standup comedy scene is growing and getting more diverse. This is a good thing for a scene usually associated with straight male voices.

Bitches in Stitches Manila is sister to Bitches in Stitches Hong Kong, Hong Kong’s only all-female standup comedy group, which started in 2021.

“I just wanted to address the gender gap in the [Hong Kong] standup comedy scene and within our first two years with me at its helm, we sold out 30 consecutive shows with crowds as small as maybe 30 or as big as 200,” said founder Fran Ayala-Rock, a Manila native who lived in Hong Kong for 13 years.

“Bitches in Stitches also doubled the number of paid female comedians in Hong Kong’s local comedy scene. In those first two years, we started [with] six, we ended at 15, and when I left Hong Kong and got involved in the local scene in Mania, I also noticed that there was a discrepancy between the number of paid male and female comedians,” she added. “I decided, with two fellow female comedians who are Filipinas, Veronica Lytton and Christina Sebastian, to start up Bitches in Stitches Manila.”

Bitches in Stitches Manila started in June 2023.

“Our aim is to do more all-female shows, produce all-female and queer shows, and attract more female and queer comedians,” Ayala-Rock said.

“I want the audience to come to our all-female shows. I want the women in the audience to say I wanna be able to do that, and I want them to know that yes, they can do that, and I want them onstage with us.”

Don’t let its all-female lineup fool you: their shows aren’t just for women.

“ A lot of people have that misconception that it’s only for an all-female audience or only for a queer audience. I think people who would enjoy Bitches in Stitches are people who want to see themselves sort of reflected in the stories that are told onstage. Still, at the very heart of comedy, you’re meant to speak to some sort of unspoken human truth, which is why I think that a Bitches in Stitches show could appeal to anyone. We all know what it’s like to have mental health issues especially since it’s been a weird couple of years. We understand what it’s like to feel frustrated at work. Our comedians are very diverse.”

Bitches in Stitches Manila will be performing Laugh Riot, their sophomore show, on Sept. 7, 8 p.m.,  at A Fine Mess in Poblacion, Makati. The event will feature the godmother of Comedy Manila Jeannie Laccay, Sarah Pascual, and Bitches in Stitches co-founders Veronica Litton and Christian Sebastian.

“The Philippine comedy scene is growing but we need more women, so if you’re interested, please come to an open mic or reach out to me for one of our workshops,” Ayala-Rock said.

“We need more female voices, and I think there’s a surge of feminism happening in Manila’s performing arts scene itself, and we want more voices and we believe that every woman’s voice deserves to be a part of this.”