RAISING EXPECTATIONS Benefit Set for Lyric Theatre, 14 Oct.

In association with Funny Women and to coincide with Babyloss Awareness week, Shaky Isles proudly presents a comedy charity event to raise awareness of miscarriage.

Hosted by Viv Groskop and featuring Jenny Éclair, Josh Howie and Kiwi comic Jarred Christmas, and spoof improv group Upstairs Downton, PLUS this year's winner of the Funny Women Award and many more. A stellar line up of stand-up comics - great fun, great night, great cause!

Viv Groskop is a journalist, writer and comedian. Her stand-up memoir I Laughed I Cried is out now, published by Orion. Jenny Éclair has been a stand-up comic for many years and was the first woman to win the Perrier Award. She is on ITV's Loose Women and still gigs regularly and is on tour around the UK in the autumn with her new show Eclairious. Josh Howie presented his first Edinburgh Fringe show, Chosen, in 2008 which received considerable critical acclaim, followed by two more hugely successful shows in Edinburgh - each receiving sell-out runs at Soho Theatre. He was invited to perform at the Just For Laughs comedy festival (Montreal) and has filmed for shows; Comedy Store, World Stands Up, and Comedy Blue for Comedy Central. Jarred Christmas is a comedian from New Zealand who now lives and works in the United Kingdom. He won the Chortle Comedy Award for Best Compere. He has appeared as a performer and guest panellist on BBC Two's Mock of the Week, BBC Three's Russell Howard's Good News, and Channel 4's 8 out of 10 Cats. Upstairs Downton are London's best loved Period Drama spoof. A bit like Downton, a bit like Upstairs Downstairs, and the rest like goodness only knows. Just like on the telly!

Funds raised will go toward the production of Expectations presented by Shaky Isles Theatre at The Pleasance Islington in November. Expectations is a new play about miscarriage and infertility, Expectations is a funny, physical, energetic and touching piece about life, fate, hope - and choice. "We're against the odds, you know. It's actually really hard to be born."

Written by Emma Deakin and directed by Stella Duffy.

Significant funds will go to the Miscarriage Association to assist with all the wonderful work they do. www.miscarriageassociation.org.uk

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