Ria Lina

Ria Lina

Ria Lina in 2014
Born (1980-06-11) 11 June 1980
High Wycombe, England
Medium Stand-up, television
Nationality British
Years active 2001–present
Genres comedy
Subject(s) Taboos, autism, racial identity, education, musical comedy
Spouse Steve Jones

Ria Lina (born 11 June 1980) is a British comedian, actress, and writer, and a winner of the EMMA award[1] in 2003. She is known for her television appearances in The World Stands Up, Mega Mela Malai Comedy and Sweet n Sour on BBC3. Prior to her career as a comic, Lina acquired a BSc in Experimental Pathology, an MSc in Forensic Science, and a PhD in Viral Bioinformatics and worked as an IT Forensic Investigator for the Serious Fraud Office.

Early life and education

Lina was born in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire on 11 June 1980. At the age of one she moved with her parents to California, before returning to the Buckinghamshire village of Chalfont St. Giles at the age of 9. The family then moved to the Netherlands when she was 14, where she studied at The American School of the Hague,[2] graduating at 16.

At 17, she attended the University of St. Andrews, gaining a Bachelor of Science in Experimental Pathology in June 2000,[3] before attending University College London as a postgraduate, obtaining a PhD in Viral Bioinformatics in 2004. After a short break during which she had her first child, she returned to academia and read a MSc in Forensic Science and Technology at the London South Bank University[4] before working as an IT Forensic Investigator for the Serious Fraud Office.

During her time as a student she continued to work in amateur dramatics and became a member of the National Youth Theatre in 1999.

Stand-up

Lina's first performance as a stand-up comedian was while still at St. Andrews University in 1998. She did not perform regularly until she moved to London in 2000 to do her PhD. By the time she had finished her PhD she was an award winning stand-up comedian working regularly on the UK comedy circuit. Lina has taken four critically acclaimed shows to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, 'School of Riason' (2014) was nominated for the Amused Moose Laughter Awards, and contained one of Dave's Top 10 Jokes of the Fringe.[5] It is scheduled to be a Radio 4 special to be aired in 2016.[6] Her previous shows 'Thpethial' (2013) and 'It's Not Easy Being Yellow' (2012), have also been performed at the Brighton Fringe, the Leicester Comedy Festival, and in Asia as part of the Magner's International Comedy Festivals.[7][8]

She is also seen regularly on the UK comedy circuit, with her trademark mix of dry wit and bawdy ukulele songs. As a writer she has contributed to two Ladyboys of Bangkok tours.[9] Her most recent project, 'Taboo Raider', debuted at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August 2015.[10]

Television

Lina has worked in television both as a writer and actor. For the ITV sketch show Meet the Blogs she was both writer and actor. She has written and presented a documentary for Channel 4 revealing the truth behind the myths that surround Oriental women in Britain.[11]

Further TV work includes Jongleurs Live,[12] The World Stands Up,[13] Sweet n' Sour Comedy,[14] Malai Monologues[15] and film short Christie.[16]

Awards

References

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