Culture

The Rise of Femmes in Filipino Comedy With Bitches in Stitches

The all-women stand-up comedy troupe is carving out a new space in Manila’s comedy scene, empowering women and queer comics to take to the stage and make their voices heard

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bitches in stitches comedy troupe manila
Photo from Matt Lee/Bitches in Stitches Manila

“You will not believe some of the shit I’ve been heckled with,” says Fran Ayala-Rock, founder of Bitches in Stitches, an all-women stand-up comedy troupe that has quickly taken over Manila’s comedy circuit. 

“In the middle of one of my sets, someone [said], ‘Show me your tits!’” Ayala-Rock laughs loudly, unrestrained, as she casually brings up misogyny like it’s an inside joke between us. Joining her in the interview are her co-founders Veronica Litton and Cristina Sebastian, who laugh in agreement. All three women are seasoned veterans of the local open mic circuit and have had their fair share of sexist hecklers. “It’s so common,” adds Ayala-Rock.

While Manila’s comedy scene has long been home to a wide range of voices, the three co-founders argue that there’s still a lot of room for improvement in terms of creating a community that welcomes all comedians, regardless of background. “I don’t think we’re where we want to be,” says Ayala-Rock about the comedy scene. “Which is why Bitches in Stitches exists.”

Since its founding in July 2024, the comedy troupe has quickly made waves in Manila’s stand-up community. Having organized four sold-out shows in 2024 and regular comedy workshops, Bitches in Stitches has rapidly gained a reputation for pushing comedic boundaries and championing femme and queer talent. Its three founders want to change how women and queer comedians are treated, particularly by the men in the community.

“When I talk to male bookers, the ‘controversial’ response I would get was that women just aren’t funny,” says Ayala-Rock as she recounts her own difficulties trying to make it as a comedian.

[We] want to show people that you don’t necessarily have to punch down. You don’t have to make fun of people. And you don’t have to make fun of yourself in order to make people laugh.

Veronica Litton

Litton echoes this sentiment, sharing her personal frustrations with the stand-up community. For Litton, the community has at times felt like a “hostile environment,” particularly as a queer, transgender performer. “It can be very daunting and intimidating,” says Litton.

Ayala-Rock first got the idea of organizing an all-femme comic group in 2021 back when she was still living in Hong Kong and fighting to get into open mic lineups that were mostly made up of male comics. “I did not want to compete to be the diversity hire on a lineup of six cis males making jokes about how girls are stupid or how they hate their wives,” says Ayala-Rock. “So one day I said, ‘Shall we do an all-femme show?’ We found a venue that would take us and we sold out in six hours.”

Thus, Bitches in Stitches was born. The Hong Kong division of the troupe performed thirty consecutive sold-out shows over the course of two years, kickstarting what Ayala-Rock describes as a “cultural social movement.” Upon moving back to the Philippines and meeting Litton and Sebastian on Manila’s open mic circuit, Ayala-Rock decided to open Bitches in Stitches’ Manila chapter. Since then, the three have tirelessly worked to create a safe space for women and queer comedians.

Taking Up More Space

The response to Bitches in Stitches has been overwhelmingly positive, especially among comedians who felt they were ostracized from the scene. “Humor is a really good avenue,” says Sebastian, “not just for the comedians performing, but also for the audience members to talk about, or think about, issues they’re dealing with that might be taboo, especially in the Philippines.” Sebastian stresses how issues on women’s rights, queer people’s rights, reproductive health, and the like, are important to discuss, but are nevertheless difficult subjects to discuss in our day-to-day life.

Litton also notes how Bitches in Stitches’ comedy workshops have provided a strong support system for young comics. “You’re basically thrown to the wolves and have to try and claw your way through your first year [as a comic],” says Litton. “But the kind of creative energy we have here at Bitches in Stitches is something that’s really grown out of a mutual love and respect for our community. I don’t think a lot of stand-ups actually have that.”

Bitches in Stitches Manila comedy
Photo from Matt Lee/Bitches in Stitches Manila

However, the group admits there has been some pushback, especially from male performers and audience members. “There was this one person who came up to us after a [show],” shares Litton, “and he was like, ‘What about an all-male lineup? Why do you have to promote [yourselves] like that? As all-female?’”

Ayala-Rock adds that cases like this point to a deeper frustration some have with women and queer comedians carving out a larger space for themselves in the industry. “When you’re trying to change things from the way they’ve been, people might call you a bitch,” says Ayala-Rock. “I mean, that’s kind of where the name ‘Bitches in Stitches’ came from. That’s us taking it back and being like, ‘You know what? Call me a bitch. I want to be called a bitch. I am a bitch because we bitches are the people who change things.’”

As stand-up comedy becomes increasingly popular around the country, with groups such as Lady Boses and Comedy Manila, as well as Bitches in Stitches, organizing more shows, a new wave of diverse voices are taking the spotlight.

With an upcoming show on January 31, in which comics from both the Manila and Hong Kong chapters of the troupe will perform in cocktail bar Sari Sari in Makati, Bitches in Stitches are riding the momentum. “We are going to keep doing this until the next hot, young, talented bitches — the next three, the next 300 — come to take our place,” says Ayala-Rock.

“In addition to getting more femmes and more queer [comedians] on stage,” adds Litton, “[we] want to show people that you don’t necessarily have to punch down. You don’t have to make fun of people. And you don’t have to make fun of yourself in order to make people laugh.”

Above all else, Bitches in Stitches emphasizes the need to foster a supportive community for comedy lovers across the country. “Laughter is the shortest distance between two strangers,” says Ayala-Rock towards the end of our interview. Comedic timing impeccable as ever, Ayala-Rock pauses for a beat before adding, “That’s not my quote! But it’s something I stand by.”

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