Barunka O'Shaughnessy
Encyclopedia
Barunka O'Shaughnessy is a British
actress, writer
and producer
.
O'Shaughnessy began performing comedy while a student at Cambridge University. After her graduation, she collaborated with university friends Lucy Montgomery
and James Bachman
to write and perform shows at the Edinburgh Festival
, forming the Population 3 Theatre company.
She is best known for playing Sacha Merrion on Bo! in the USA and for her appearances in The Mighty Boosh
. She has appeared in Mr and Mrs Fandango for Channel 4 as part of the Comedy Lab
series and has also appeared in E4's comedy sketch show Beehive. Other notable television credits include That Mitchell and Webb Look
, Bremner Bird and Fortune and Extras.
On radio, O'Shaughnessy has starred in Sasha's Best of British, a comedy pilot for BBC Radio 2
which was broadcast on 12 May 2007. She has also appeared in two series of the BBC Radio 4
sitcom Ed Reardon's Week
.
As a writer, O'Shaughnessy has worked on Katy Brand's Big Ass Show
, Comedy Lab
, Beehive
and School of Comedy
. In 2001 she produced two seasons of the British television series Fanorama
, starring David Mitchell
, Rhys Thomas
, Claudia Winkleman
and Lauren Laverne
.
As herself, she has guested on The Law of the Playground
, The Story of Light Entertainment, and Never Mind The Buzzcocks
.
She is of Irish and Czech parentage.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
actress, writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
and producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
.
O'Shaughnessy began performing comedy while a student at Cambridge University. After her graduation, she collaborated with university friends Lucy Montgomery
Lucy Montgomery (actor)
Lucy Montgomery is an English comedian, actress and writer, best known for her radio and television work.Montgomery is married to fellow comedian Rhys Thomas; they have two daughters – Polly and Rosie Rae – and live in London.-Career:While at Cambridge University, Montgomery was a member of...
and James Bachman
James Bachman
James Bachman is an English comedian, actor and writer.He has written for many U.K. radio and television programmes, including That Mitchell and Webb Look , That Mitchell and Webb Sound , Popetown , and Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway...
to write and perform shows at the Edinburgh Festival
Edinburgh Festival
The Edinburgh Festival is a collective term for many arts and cultural festivals that take place in Edinburgh, Scotland each summer, mostly in August...
, forming the Population 3 Theatre company.
She is best known for playing Sacha Merrion on Bo! in the USA and for her appearances in The Mighty Boosh
The Mighty Boosh
The Mighty Boosh is a British comedy troupe featuring comedians Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding. Developed from three stage shows and a six episode radio series, it has since spawned a total of twenty television episodes for BBC Three and two live tours of the UK, as well as two live shows in the...
. She has appeared in Mr and Mrs Fandango for Channel 4 as part of the Comedy Lab
Comedy Lab
Comedy Lab is a British television series which showcases pilots of experimental comedy shows. Series have been aired irregularly on Channel 4 and E4 since 1998....
series and has also appeared in E4's comedy sketch show Beehive. Other notable television credits include That Mitchell and Webb Look
That Mitchell and Webb Look
That Mitchell and Webb Look is a British television sketch show starring David Mitchell and Robert Webb. Shown on BBC Two since 2006, its first two series were directed by David Kerr, who also directed Mitchell and Webb's previous television sketch show The Mitchell and Webb Situation, whereas...
, Bremner Bird and Fortune and Extras.
On radio, O'Shaughnessy has starred in Sasha's Best of British, a comedy pilot for BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
which was broadcast on 12 May 2007. She has also appeared in two series of the BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
sitcom Ed Reardon's Week
Ed Reardon's Week
Ed Reardon's Week is a sitcom on BBC Radio 4 recorded semi-naturalistically in the style of a radio drama. It concerns the story of a curmudgeonly 50-something writer described in the show's publicity material as an "author, pipesmoker, consummate fare-dodger and master of the abusive email"...
.
As a writer, O'Shaughnessy has worked on Katy Brand's Big Ass Show
Katy Brand's Big Ass Show
Katy Brand's Big Ass Show is a British comedy programme on ITV2.The show features comedian Katy Brand in skits of real life situations and stereotypes, as well and celebrities such as Amy Winehouse, Lily Allen, Lady Gaga, Angelina Jolie, Adele and Kate Winslet.The second series began on 2 September...
, Comedy Lab
Comedy Lab
Comedy Lab is a British television series which showcases pilots of experimental comedy shows. Series have been aired irregularly on Channel 4 and E4 since 1998....
, Beehive
Beehive
A beehive is a structure in which bees live and raise their young.Beehive may also refer to:Buildings and locations:* Bee Hive, Alabama, a neighborhood in Alabama* Beehive , a wing of the New Zealand Parliament Buildings...
and School of Comedy
School of Comedy
School of Comedy is a British comedy sketch show written and performed by a cast of teenagers. A television spin-off of a revue performed in London and at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, School of Comedy was piloted on Channel 4's Comedy Lab in 2008, before a six-part series ran on E4 from 2 October...
. In 2001 she produced two seasons of the British television series Fanorama
Fanorama
Fanorama is a Rhode Island-based zine and zine-distro produced by journalist/activist REB . According the their website it is the "grand-daddy of the queer zine scene"....
, starring David Mitchell
David Mitchell (actor)
David James Stuart Mitchell is a British actor, comedian and writer. He is half of the comedy duo Mitchell and Webb, alongside Robert Webb, whom he met at Cambridge University. There they were both part of the Cambridge Footlights, of which Mitchell became President. Together the duo star in the...
, Rhys Thomas
Rhys Thomas
Rhys Thomas may refer to:* Rhys M. Thomas , Wales rugby union international prop 2007* T. Rhys Thomas , Wales rugby union international hooker 2007* Rhys Thomas * Rhys Thomas...
, Claudia Winkleman
Claudia Winkleman
Claudia Anne I. Winkleman is an English television presenter, film critic, radio personality and journalist.- Early life and family :...
and Lauren Laverne
Lauren Laverne
Lauren Cecilia Fisher , known professionally as Lauren Laverne, is an English radio DJ, television presenter, author and singer...
.
As herself, she has guested on The Law of the Playground
The Law Of The Playground
The Law of the Playground is a British television series broadcast on Channel 4 produced by Zeppotron in which various British comedians and celebrities recollect the past times of childhood at school...
, The Story of Light Entertainment, and Never Mind The Buzzcocks
Never Mind the Buzzcocks
Never Mind the Buzzcocks is a comedy panel game television show with a pop music theme, currently without a permanent presenter. It stars Phill Jupitus and Noel Fielding as team captains. The show is produced by Talkback Thames for the BBC, and is usually aired on BBC Two...
.
She is of Irish and Czech parentage.