Busselton comedian Brodi Snook to perform at Perth Fringe Festival 2022

So when Busselton-born comedian Brodi Snook made her audience laugh at her stand-up routine for the first time in 2014 - it was a moment she described as "electric".

Ms Snook had entered a heat in the RAW Comedy competition in Perth where she would be required to perform for just five minutes.

Once bitten by the comedy bug, Ms Snook said she was addicted.

"I was living in the UK at the time and had returned to WA for a holiday and I just decided to enter the competition on a whim," Ms Snook said.

"I had also just come out of a breakup which I think spurred me on to try something new and challenging - something I'd always dreamt of trying.

"I ended up making it to the state finals where I performed for 1200 people at His Majesty's Theatre.

"And the next morning I flew back to London thinking - I guess I'm a comedian now."

After over 10 years of living and working in the United Kingdom, Ms Snook, who grew up in West Busselton, was forced to endure a "panic induced flee" to make it back to Australian shores before border restrictions came into effect.

She had worked for six years as a full-time comedian and said her favourite jobs included appearing on BBC Radio, debuting at the Edinburgh Fringe and travelling around the country doing tour support for "some big names".

When the Mail spoke with Ms Snook, she said despite having to leave her life behind "in a panicked rush", she loved her job more than ever.

"When I first arrived I couldn't find a job, so I started a bachelors degree in creative and professional writing which has kept the cogs whirring and greatly aided my comedy skillset," Ms Snook said.

"Comedy has the capacity to educate, to inspire, to challenge and I'm enamored by the whole art form.

"One of my favourite things about comedy is that you can't perfect it - to be a good comedian you have to keep evolving and developing your skill set, your awareness and your knowledge.

"I loved working in the UK and I can't wait to get back - I learned so much working there for six years and was lucky enough to make it my living."

"I'm incredibly grateful to have made it home, especially seeing as I've still had a relatively busy couple of years with work."

Growing up as a student of MacKillop Catholic College, Ms Snook said she would take every opportunity to be exposed to the craft of comedy, from watching "obscure" comedy shows on SBS to renting Carl Baron DVD's and reciting all the punchlines.

But with an "introverted personality", Ms Snook confessed the performance side of the job didn't come naturally in the beginning.

"I gigged for about a year before I even took the mic out of the stand," she said.

"And even now - my favourite part of the whole process is the writing, conceiving new ideas, researching topics, planning the narrative of my solo pieces.

"But stand-up comedy has built my character - there's something very strengthening about laying out your vulnerabilities, eccentricities, fears and truths in a public domain.

"It's a very humbling job, full of swings and roundabouts - one night you might be playing a sold-out theatre, doing a record for television and the next you can be wrangling with a heckler at a 20-person gig in the basement of a pub."

With a strong love for her craft, Ms Snook said it was a "lamentable misconception" that comedy was "rarely considered" to be a form of art.

"Don't get me started on this topic," she laughed.

"But there needs to be a lot more support.

"The arts industry employs four times more people than the coal mining industry and contributes $15 billion to Australia's GDP (gross domestic product).

"That needs to change."

To cement her presence back in WA, Ms Snook will soon perform her fifth stand-up comedy routine 'Waylaid' at Perth Fringe Festival.

She said it was a show about her "reluctant return home".

"But also how a fall from grace can sometimes land you in the right place - it's a warm, cerebral show with just the right amount of filth.

"I was fortunate enough to tour my last show 'Handful' in 2021, taking it to Sydney and Melbourne comedy festivals - and the same is planned for 'Waylaid' this year, plus a few months of work in the UK mid-year.

"However like with anything at the moment, it all remains to be seen. 'Plan' feels like a dirty word these days, but I'd rather go ahead and try and make things happen and adjust my expectations further down the line if I need to."

Brodi Snook's stand up comedy 'Waylaid' will run as part Perth Fringe Festival, February 9 to 13, at the Brisbane Hotel.

Tickets started from $20 and can be purchased via the Fringe World website at https://fringeworld.com.au/.

Ms Snook will then continue to Melbourne International Festival, March 30 to April 24.

To find out more, visit Brodisnook.co.uk or follow @BrodiSnook on Instagram.