Bitches In Stitches started in Hong Kong and has grown into a global comedy network. Built by women and queers, the troupe is creating stages where performers can finally skip the dick jokes and tell their own stories.
Hong Kong’s long-established film industry has made the city a magnet for creative talent. It was here that an eclectic group of women came together to form a new kind of comedy troupe – one they describe as “femme-forward, community-powered and dangerously unfiltered.” Founded in 2021 by a band of women and queers, the troupe may have started in Hong Kong, but its perspective has always been international. In just a few years, it has grown into a network spanning several cities, giving its members not only a stage but also a sense of community.
Comedy has long been dominated by male voices, with women often being told that they are simply not funny. As comedian Jenny Tian has pointed out, “We’ve heard for years on end that women can’t be funny. Then you add intersectionality to that, and we know the stakes are often higher for women of colour.” This is a reality that many in the industry still face. For groups like Bitches In Stitches, creating space is about proving that comedy thrives when more perspectives are heard and celebrated.
While Bitches In Stitches started in Hong Kong, they have since expanded globally to London, Manila and Manchester. The members Francesca, Natalia, Arie, Rose Rage, Veronica, and Christina spoke to us about their own experiences, from how they got involved and grew tired of the status quo, to what Bitches In Stitches means not just to them but to the audience and beyond.
Setting the scene
“Women don’t need to hear another dick joke. I don’t know why guys need to hear another dick joke. It’s the same f*cking joke all the time”. Says Rose.
Rose Rage is the stage name of a transgender comedian and is the founder of Bitches In Stitches, living in Hong Kong for over 30 years.
She described how she became involved in the creation of the group while she tried to find her way through the Hong Kong comedy scene and the impact it had on her. “My co-founder Fran booked a show, and afterwards I was so touched because as a trans woman, I hadn’t found inclusivity, you know, acceptance… often, women give me hugs after the show”.
She elaborated on the network aspect of the comedy troupe. Rose explained that it was an extension of the troupe: “It’s this super supportive network. If women come to Hong Kong and I can get them on a show somewhere, I’m going to help them out.“
Transgender comedienne Veronica, who is part of the Manila branch of Bitches In Stitches, shared her unique perspective: “I have the lived experience of a man, and as a woman. Something that a lot of men will never comprehend is that when you approach the world from the standpoint of a woman or a minority, everything about how you interact with the world changes. A lot of men, unfortunately, are not aware of the privilege that they have and how the tone they have can basically set the mood for everything else that follows.”
The founding member, Filipino-American, Francesca, who is now based in London, explained her reasoning for establishing the troupe. “I just wanted to grow the number of paid female comedians. So I thought doing all-female nights would be a great opportunity for that. The important thing is that we are creating that space and that opportunity. No matter which market we’re in, there is an appetite for the shows.”
She described the very strong first year Bitches In Stitches had. “One thing I know for a fact is that in Hong Kong, in our first year, we doubled the number of paid working female comedians in the scene. We won nine local comedy awards in our first year.”
Beyond Hong Kong
In a curious coincidence, the Manchester branch initially started as a separate comedy troupe with the same name. Fran explained how they banded together. “I got a Google alert because I had one set up for Bitches In Stitches. I found an all-female stand-up comedy night in Manchester that was doing the exact same thing that we were doing. We had the same name. We just spoke with each other on social media and fangirled over each other. Just this year, we decided to combine forces and merge under one brand because we were already doing the same things. We had the same name, the same beliefs, and the same kind of ethos to champion all-female comedy nights and to support those performers.”
“I think there is an appetite to see female comedians all over the world.” Natalia, who founded the Manchester branch, explained.
Arie, based in East London, pointed out that when given their own platform, it creates a more welcoming atmosphere, partly because of the lack of pressure present. “It’s great when we get to see multiple women on the line-up, and we get to see different perspectives, and we’re not putting all that pressure on just that one space they will give us.”
Cristina, also part of the Manila offshoot, highlighted one of the benefits of being a woman in comedy as almost a form of therapy. “I think it’s a really good avenue to get conversations going about things that we wouldn’t necessarily talk about.”
Cristina | Photo from Bitches in Stitches
Different members of the troupe described what it was like to a mostly female audience, regardless of their location. “They feel more comfortable because they don’t feel like they’re going to be insulted. So more women will come,” said Natalia. “It’s different when you’re performing to people who just get it inherently,” Christina said about the Manila scene.
Across the various branches of Bitches In Stitches, members shared how the overlap with the queer community had positively impacted each of them. “We’re queer friendly”, Fran pointed out.
Veronica from the Manila branch explained what it’s like to have queer people in the audience. “We can let our hair down at A Bitches In Stitches show, since our audience is predominantly women and queers. Because we’re performing in front of people like that, we don’t feel like we have to censor ourselves or explain ourselves that much; we can just go.”
Rose Rage shared her experience as a transgender woman and the positive impact it has had on her, as she is currently the only transgender comedian performing in Hong Kong. “With a regular stand-up show with loads of guys, that’s not a community. That’s a show. With Bitches In Stitches, we’re building a community. Not just the comedians, but the audience too. And the relationships that we build up with them, I think that’s way more important than going to a stand-up show and laughing, right? Making women and the LGBT+ community feel empowered, seen, accepted and valued.”
“I’m the only trans comedian in Hong Kong right now. The one thing that’s great about doing trans material is that no one steals my jokes.”
Workshop it out
As part of their master plan, Bitches In Stitches also offer free online comedy workshops. As a founding member, Fran explained her reasoning. “I just don’t see the need to gatekeep information that I’m able to Google anyway.”
Natalia pointed out that it adds to the sense of community. “We’re trying to create the best female comedians in the world. By giving people the opportunity to write together, everyone’s just getting better. Also, the second point is that creative endeavours can be shockingly lonely. They shouldn’t be, but they always are.”
Uniting the workshops and the comedy shows can also improve the whole comedy experience, as Veronica recalls her time. “I remember there was an open mic after we did a workshop, and the prompt for the comedy writing workshop was death. And we all ended up writing sets about death, and before we knew it, two hours after we had written those jokes, we performed those jokes at an open mic. So that’s how magical that whole process can be.”
Veronica | Photo from Bitches in Stitches
As a founding member, Fran highlights the crucial role that creating a safe space can bring to both the workshops and the stand-up shows. “You’re very vulnerable during comedy. You’re speaking about some very painful personal truths, so it was really sweet how they came to us and how we were able to provide them a different avenue to express themselves.”
What’s next?
Veronica elaborated on their plans in Manila. She explained how they want to expand their operations. “Our biggest goal is to keep doing shows and to eventually get to a point where we can consistently do shows, not just on a monthly basis, but also on a weekly basis. We’re also trying to slowly build up our own internal open mics so that we can also find the next set of bitches who we can share the stage with, because it can’t be the two of us bitches forever.”
Fran talked about expanding to other global cities. “When that’s going to happen, we don’t know yet, but we are already in discussions to see how we could help our community expand into those markets [Australia and potentially L.A.].” They also mentioned they will be bringing a show to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2026.
“That’s really what we’re all about, we’re celebrating femininity in all its shapes and forms. There’s not one way to be a woman. There’s not one way to tell jokes as well, you know, and we champion however that shows up and however our performers show up, as they are, as the women that they are.” Fran said, summing up the Bitches In Stitches ethos.
Bitches In Stitches began as a female-driven comedy troupe aimed at helping women take up space and feel empowered in comedy worldwide. However, it has also led them to create a community, showing women that stand-up is a viable creative outlet for them, enabling women to feel empowered not just in their respective comedy scene but in every other aspect of their lives.
To find out Bitches In Stitches’ latest updates, check out their Instagram: @b1tchesinstitches, @bitchesinstitchesldn, @bitchesinstitcheshk and @bitchesinstitchesmnl
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