From Paul Hogan and Kevin 'Bloody' Wilson to Carl Barron, Australia has produced its fair share of funny men. But you'd have trouble naming more than one funny sheila ? and no, Dame Edna doesn't count.

Kitty Flanagan is one of the few internationally known comediennes from Down Under. We speak to her about inadvertently turning a school play of 'Snow White' into slapstick, being shy, quoting lines from Bill Murray movies, and seeing lions on the streets of Cape Town.

We'll start off "easy". Why are there relatively few women doing standup?

I think we're less confident and more prone to self doubt and we give up too early. It's a grand generalisation but I think men tend to have thicker hides, they stick with it and eventually find their voice and their audience. For example, after a bad gig, a man will think: 'Oh my god, I can't believe those people didn't laugh, what's wrong with them? I'm funny. Those people are idiots. A woman, on the other hand, thinks: 'Oh my god, I can't believe those people didn't laugh, what's wrong with me? I'm not funny. I'm an idiot.' We take everything too personally, especially when starting out. I was very lucky, I had a good first gig. If I'd had a bad first experience, I may never have done it again.

Have you found it difficult to succeed in an industry still dominated by men?

The bad thing is, audiences assume you're going to be awful, you walk on and you can almost hear people rolling their eyes and thinking: 'Oooh no, here we go, a bloody woman...' The good thing is, if you're actually funny, people are delighted. The somewhat backhanded compliment that me and all the other girls on the UK circuit hear most is: 'Oh my god, I usually hate women comedians but you were really funny.'

When did you first realise you're funny?

I don't know if I ever thought I was funny but I certainly realised I liked getting laughs when I was six and played one of the seven dwarves in a school play. It was a complete accident ? I tripped while marching and knocked over a couple of the other dwarves. Unintentional slapstick, but the audience laughed out loud and I remember thinking: 'I'm doing that again tomorrow night'.

What made you laugh as a child?

I liked anything with Bill Murray in it, still do actually ? 'Caddyshack', 'Meatballs', 'Stripes', 'Ghostbusters', they're all classics and films that my sister and I still quote from all the time.

What makes you laugh now?

'30 Rock', Tina Fey, 'Arrested Development', and anything with Will Ferrell in it.

Who are your comedy idols?

I love Ellen DeGeneres, her standup is beautifully observed and so unassumingly delivered. It's easy to miss how sharp and clever her stuff is because she's so casual.

What's the first thing that comes to mind in association with:

Kevin Bloody Wilson?

As a kid I thought it was so naughty and hilarious when he did a tour called the 'Far Canal' tour. Actually, I still think that's pretty funny.

Steve Coogan?

Alan Partridge is still my favourite Coogan creation.

Ben Stiller?

I like Ben Stiller 'cos he married a funny woman. It gives me hope that there are actually men out there with a penchant for "funny ladies".

Is there anything you wouldn't joke about?

I think you can joke about anything ? my only rule would be that the more sensitive the topic, the better the joke has to be. For example if you're going to make a joke about cancer, then it had better be ball-tearingly funny.

In real life how different are you from the person on stage? Do you play a character on stage or is it a case of 'what you see is what you get'?

I don't play a character but I'm certainly a lot more confident on stage than off. I think I also come across as quite a tough cookie on stage. Whereas in "real life", I'm stupidly shy, absurdly sensitive and I'd be mortified if I offended anyone. On stage, if people are offended by my work, I'm far more: "Oh for godsake, you're at a comedy club, get over it."

What are your interests outside comedy?

I like jumping off things, preferably in a harness of some sort, baking cakes, with or without a harness. And tennis.

You haven't been to South Africa before. What are you expecting and is there anything you're looking forward to doing?

Well, because I'm ignorant and clearly have no knowledge of South African geography, I was expecting to walk out of my hotel, grab a cab and head off to see a few lions and giraffes, maybe spot a couple of meerkats on the way... However, I have since discovered that would be one hell of an expensive cab ride and that Cape Town is more about beaches and mountains than safaris. Basically, I'm happy anywhere that has good food and wine and I hear Cape Town has plenty of both so I'm looking forward to it.