Abby Howells
Born1990 or 1991 (age 32–33)
Dunedin, New Zealand
NationalityNew Zealand
Alma materUniversity of Otago (PhD, theatre studies)
Victoria University of Wellington (MA, creative writing)
Occupations
AwardsBilly T Award (2023)

Abby Howells is a New Zealand comedian, actor, and writer. She was the winner of the Billy T Award in 2023.

Early life and education

Howells grew up in Dunedin, New Zealand.[1] She received a bachelor of arts in film and media studies from the University of Otago, and a masters in creative writing from Victoria University of Wellington's International Institute of Modern Letters in 2014. At Victoria, she wrote the screenplay Standing Up, which won the Brad McGann Award.[2]

Howells completed a PhD in theatre studies from the University of Otago;[3] her thesis, titled "Performing Prison: How Is Life on the Inside Portrayed to the Outside World?",[4] explored how incarcerated women are portrayed in film and television.[5]

Career

After starting stand-up in her 20s, Howells quit comedy for seven years after sexual harassment from another comedian.[1][6]

Howells was a founding member of Discharge, a female comedy collective.[7][2] She served as head writer for the group, penning the shows What is This? Woman's Hour? (2012),[8] Benedict Cumberbatch Must Die (2014),[9] and 28 Days: A Period Piece (2015).[2][10]

She presented her solo show Glocknid: Dwarf Warrior in 2014, which won the Best Newcomer Award at the 2015 Wellington International Comedy Festival.[2][11] She portrayed Beatrix in Trick of the Light Theatre's Beards Beards Beards, which toured the United Kingdom.[10] Her play Attila the Hun was part of the 2017 Young and Hungry Festival.[2] Howells acted in Fold by Jo Randerson in 2018, and The Bald Soprano in 2019.[12][13]

Howells's show HarleQueen won the Director's Award at the New Zealand International Comedy Festival in 2021.[1] In 2023 at the NZICF, she wrote and performed La Soupco, which is "based on a screenplay Howells wrote when she was 11 years old ... a post-World War II nautical-themed romance set in Spain for little reason, where the characters don't have names".[14] For the show, Howells won the Billy T Award.[1][3][6][11][15] The New Zealand Herald wrote that La Soupco "strikes a wonderful balance between a theatrical concept and traditional stand-up".[14]

On television, Howells has appeared on 7 Days and Guy Montgomery's Guy Mont-Spelling Bee.

She has cited Blackadder and Jerry Seinfeld as influences.[3]

Personal life

Howells is open about being on the autism spectrum.[16]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Thomas, Grace (30 May 2023). "Comedian Abby Howells takes home prestigious Billy T Award". 1News.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Howells, Abby (14 September 2018). "Loose Canons: Abby Howells". The Pantograph Punch.
  3. 1 2 3 Stills, Ethan (30 May 2023). "'Exciting' award win after industry harassment". Otago Daily Times.
  4. ↑ Howells, Abby (2021). "Performing Prison: How Is Life on the Inside Portrayed to the Outside World?" (PDF).
  5. ↑ Fox, Rebecca (21 March 2019). "Empowering women inspiring". Otago Daily Times.
  6. 1 2 Bevan, Darren (29 May 2023). "Guy Montgomery and Abby Howells win top prizes at 2023 NZ International Comedy Festival". Newshub.
  7. ↑ Stone, Elsie (17 February 2016). "Meet the Female Comedy Collective Bringing Period Jokes to the Mainstream". Catalogue Magazine. Archived from the original on 4 Mar 2016.
  8. ↑ McBryde, Angus. "What Is This, Women's Hour? (2012)".
  9. ↑ "28 Days: A Period Piece". Theatreview.
  10. 1 2 McKee, Hannah (19 March 2015). "Abby Howells faces up to young roles". Stuff.co.nz.
  11. 1 2 Daly, Lara (15 May 2023). "Hey Abby Howells, I like your retro-inspired hair". Ensemble.
  12. ↑ "Entitled narcissists target of absurdist satirical 'Fold'". Otago Daily Times. 1 March 2018.
  13. ↑ Black, Eleanor (19 May 2019). "At home with a Dunedin theatre couple". Stuff.co.nz.
  14. 1 2 Sills, Ethan (25 May 2023). "Billy T 2023 nominees reviewed: Abby Howells, Gabby Anderson, Jack Ansett, Janaye Henry and Maria Williams". NZ Herald. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  15. ↑ "Billy T' Billy: Brynley Stent hands the yellow towel to 2023 comedy award winner Abby Howells". NZ Herald. 31 May 2023.
  16. ↑ Hanton, James (13 August 2022). "HarleQueen". The Wee Review.
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