Sara Pascoe doesn’t need to make jokes about her weight or looks, unlike numerous other female comediennes. She’s a stunner, but just as determined to make it in the world of comedy as her male counterparts. Katherine MacAlister talks to this 31-year-old, joining the Cowley Road Mild Friends Comedy Festival line-up before hitting Edinburgh’s Fringe Sara Pascoe is currently completing her 10-week run on Channel 4’s Stand Up For the Week, a stint she’s finding pretty challenging. “It’s fairly hardcore” she grins, “because it’s not your own stuff, it’s topical stand-up.”

She will, however, be showcasing her new show The Musical tonight in Oxford, before hitting Edinburgh. And considering Sara took up comedy on a whim five years ago to conquer her fears (she also learned how to swim at the same time), it’s a great achievement that she’s already such a success.

“I booked one five-minute gig, did it, it went well and then found myself writing material for the next one because I really enjoyed it. And five years on I’m still here,” she grins.

And with at least seven gigs a week under her belt, regular TV slots and Edinburgh to come, Sara is going places. So is it harder to make it as a woman?

“No, I think if you’re good and female things happen much quicker,” she says honestly. “But overall I don’t think that’s what counts. You basically have a minute to make people laugh once you’re on stage, and prove you’re worth listening to, whether you’re a man or a woman.”

As for the practice run, Sara says it’s vital to get everything fine-tuned for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

“You can write something and think it’s one of the best things you’ve ever written, and then you get on stage and realise it’s not as good as you thought. Put it this way, it’s still a learning curve, but it’s getting easier because you do get better at it. Comedy is a craft like anything else and you can feel yourself improving. And warm-up audiences are more compassionate.”

So why is Edinburgh the be-all-and-end-all?

“Because it’s where everyone goes to see new comedy and if a new audience likes you they stay loyal. It’s like your favourite band bringing out a new album. Essentially, when you have an audience you can tour,” she explains.

But you’d better catch Sara while you can because she has other plans up her sleeve.

“I’d like to go into politics next and think comedy is the best training ground possible, because if you can make people laugh, the longer you can hold their attention, even if they disagree with you. So it’s a real tool. I am being very careful not to do or say anything that could get me into trouble later.”

As for fending off her admirers, Sara is very relaxed.

“Occasionally I might get the odd wolf whistle, but I don’t react to it because people then think you’re arrogant or ungrateful. But I did a gig with Jenny Eclair recently and she said she wished she’d started out now, because the culture is so much nicer. Back then it was only her and Jo Brand, but now there’s a great female comedy network and we all look out for each other.”

So what’s The Musical about?

“I started with the idea of basing my new show around learning to play the guitar, and began incorporating songs and music into it. Then it became more of a musical about my life, going to school in Essex, and my adolescence.”

And then she pauses and adds: “At least it’s better than something about the French Revolution.”

* Max Dickins, Nish Kumar and Ben Target also appear at The Mild Friends Comedy Club Festival at The Library pub, East Oxford, until Saturday. mildfriendscomedy@gmail.com 01865 241776