PUTTING THE ‘TEE-HEE’ IN TAROT AT SARAH ILES’S AND CARLY SMALLMAN’S TAROT, NICE TO MEET YOU COMEDY NIGHT IN BECKENHAM

Words by Zahra Barri - @zahra.barri.comedy

They say the world is getting more feminine. At least that’s what all the women in my life are telling me. I don’t mean Kween or Go Girl tote bags or the ‘strong female leads’ genre on Netflix. I’m not talking about gender. I’m staying away from that debate. I’m a writer, I want JK Rowling’s literary career, not her political one. I’m also a stand-up comedian - do I really need to put my two pence in?
No, what I’m talking about transcends the physical body yet possesses an energy quintessentially feminine; by this I mean the spiritual world. Let’s face it, in a post-pandemic existence, a little mothering from Mother Nature herself is just what we need. I’m talking star signs, incense, manifestation, using the word universe in conversation, or, in the case of stand-up comedians Sarah Iles and Carly Smallman, the mystical (and hysterical) world of tarot.

The art of tarot and stand-up comedy do not often meet. But at Tarot Nice to Meet You (@tarotnicetomeetyou) in Beckenham, they do just that. And they don’t just meet, they get on famously (just like their hosts). There is something very reassuring about watching best friends Sarah and Carly perform a tarot reading on a fellow comedian. Particularly if said comic guest draws the death card (actually not bad, it means rebirth) and then worries about dying on stage all through their set.
Both are individual stand-ups in their own right - Voice mag said Iles “left the room quaking with laughter”. It’s true, I’ve been out to brunch with her and got indigestion as she regaled her divorce and dating disasters, while the Telegraph described Smallman as “smutty outspoken jollity”. It’s true, a recent WhatsApp conversation with her revealed the origins of the word ‘smeg’ (don’t google it), accompanied with an anecdote so filthy she’d make an Only Fans influencer blush.

Despite this frivolity, the two have a talent for going deep into the divine feminine that the tarot world emits, giving the guest comedian an often-euphoric reading as well as meaningful interpretation of the card spread they have drawn.

Perhaps it’s this Ying and Yang of smut and spiritualism, tarot and tittering, that makes their live shows so darn funny and fulfilling. And why they have garnered critical acclaim, even winning the Best Audience Interaction award at the Brighton Fringe in 2022.

I met the humble and hilarious besties for brunch in Bromley one Sunday (it’s what female comics do - we’re busy being funny for money at night) and, while we ate our weight in avocados, they told me all about putting the ‘tee-hee’ in tarot….

Describe your comedy tarot night in three words:

SI – Fun, lively, interactive

CS – Silly, witchy, improvised

You are a double act. Is there a straight one?

SI – I’m straight but have kissed some women in the past when drunk. Lol. No, we’re both silly and crack jokes. There isn’t a serious one and a silly one, although I’m the one with no poker face so Carly has to be the one to keep me in check when I’m reading! She is the one with the small hands, so I have to shuffle the cards. It’s a good balance.

CS – No, I don’t think there’s a straight-man on Team Tarot. Both of us have an incredibly silly sense of humour and I think that shines through during the show. As real-life besties, our banter on stage is exactly as it is when we’re just hanging out and, even though I suppose this defies the conventional ‘double act’ trope, it definitely works for us. (And, yes, I have the world’s smallest hands).

Which double acts inspire you and who would you say you’re the comedy double act love child of?

SI – I love Morecambe and Wise. Their kitchen sketch has always been one of my faves. I think I’m just a big fan of being silly and cheeky. French and Saunders are also absolute legends in my opinion and I would consider it a ruddy privilege to be their love child. Test-tube babies, obviously.

CS – Growing up, I absolutely loved the madcap chaos of Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer. I used to stay up late and watch Shooting Stars and loved the semi-planned comedy carnage they’d create. Even though we’re far less surreal, I reckon we capture their sense of fun and daftness.

How did you get into comedy?

SI – I did a comedy course in north London. I went to watch a lot of stand-up and really wanted to do it for years - I just didn’t have the confidence. Then I decided to bite the bullet 10 years ago and enrol on an Introduction to Stand-up course. The first time I performed to a crowd is the most electric and alive I had ever felt. I’ve loved it ever since.

CS – I was in a fabulous improvised comedy show that had a residency in Camden. Most of the cast were stand-up comedians (Rachel Parris, Jess Fostekew, Rob Broderick and Ben Van Der Velde, to name a few) and I found myself befriending various talented comedians. A comedian pal of mine, Sajeela Kershi, ran a comedy night in Surrey and asked if I’d do a five-minute set. I really didn’t see myself as funny in any way, but after a bit of pressure I finally relented and gave it a go. I totally understood why so many people I knew did it after feeling such a rush and it turns out I wasn’t too bad at it, so 13 years later I’m still going!

How did you discover tarot?

SI – My aunt introduced me to tarot when I was about 10 years old. She had been learning the craft for a few years and whenever she would visit (she lived in America) she would bring her cards and do me a reading. When I was 13, I bought myself the same deck as hers, the Rider-Waite cards that I use to this day, and she started teaching me the basics. For my next birthday she got me a tarot book with all the meanings and I started reading for family and friends.

CS – My mum and auntie have always used the cards and so I was also around tarot from a young age. I got my first deck when I was about 12 or 13 and have loved giving readings for friends ever since.

How did you get together? What’s your origin story?

SI – Carly and I knew of each other on the circuit but weren’t close friends until I went through my divorce and she went through a break-up at the same time. We were both single and living in Beckenham with no clue how to really date after our break-ups. We started hanging out loads because, well, we both found each other hilarious company and loved white wine. When we discovered we both loved and did tarot, it was the icing on the cake. We started doing spell nights and reading for each other, sharing expertise. It was basically a real bond of two people who love stand-up, tarot and wine.

CS – Yep, as Sarah says, we had actually met each other years before we became friends but only bonded once we realised we were both newly-single comedians living a 10-minute walk away from each other. Sarah is the funniest person I’ve ever met, so it was a no-brainer that I had to make her my friend right away, which sounds creepy (and was creepy), but I’m so glad that we are as close as we are now thanks to said creepiness. When I found out that she loved all the same things I do, it was an added bonus!

Who has been your favourite comedy tarot guest?

SI – This is a tough one because we have had some truly amazing guests, online and in person. I therefore can’t really pick one favourite. However, Robyn Perkins stands out for me as we did a Halloween special with her. We all dressed up in fancy dress and she not only made her own bat costume with expandable wings but performed her stand-up routine flawlessly in it. It was so silly and fun, which I think is very on-brand for our show.

CS – We’ve had so many amazing people on the show that it’s hard to pick. I think my favourite guest was Rich Wilson, though. Not only did he do a hilarious comedy set but told us all the spookiest ghost story I’ve ever heard. His contributions to our readings for the audience also made everyone howl with laughter.

Describe your best comedy tarot gig to date…

SI – I’d have to say all the ones at The Three Hounds in Beckenham are just awesome. The crowd are always so lively and up for it. As an interactive show it can be tough sometimes for people to feel comfortable enough to join in. There is a real community feel in Beckenham and I think that energy emanates throughout the show. Everyone is there for a good time and open to the tarot comedy.

What’s funny about Kent?

SI – What isn’t funny about Kent? Personally, I find it funny that I technically live in Kent, it’s in my postcode, but because it’s the borough of Bromley my friends in Ashford always claim I’m not in ‘real’ Kent. It’s not my fault we have trams and they don’t….

CS – I think the prices of a lot of the shops at Bluewater are a bit of a joke, but for me the funniest thing about Kent is Pratts Bottom… what a name to give a place!

Tarot, Nice to Meet You runs monthly at The Three Hounds Beer Company in Beckenham on the last Tuesday of every month.

ABOUT ZAHRA BARRI

@zahra.barri.comedy

Zahra Barri is an Egyptian/Irish writer and stand up comedian who loves writing and talking about taboo subjects in a light-hearted and funny style.

She has featured on Radio 4, Radio 4 Extra, Radio 2, BBC Asian Network and BBC Period Dramas online. Her debut Novel won Runner Up for the Comedy Women In Print Unpublished prize 2020. She is currently doing a PhD in Creative Writing and moved to Rochester over Lockdown.

She has grown up in Saudi Arabia, but also Bracknell. Due to her mixed heritage background, she has attended both Muslim schools in Saudi and Catholic schools in the UK which gives her comedy a unique perspective.