Whether it is one of the biggest stages in Glasgow, or the back room of a cafe, performing comedy as a woman in Glasgow remains a difficult task.

Few know this more than Elaine C Smith, one of the best known performers in Scotland, who, over a more than 30-year career, has worked her way up to the status of national treasure.

Years of graft, working on television shows and taking to the stage, have given her a platform afforded to few actors and comics.

But despite this reputation, she remains under no illusion as to the difficulties still facing women today who are trying to make it in the industry, with her own daughter, Hannah Morton, one of those talented young women looking for a breakthrough.

Elaine said: “As a woman you need to be three times as funny. You’ve got to go on and really make an impact to be able to do it.

“That has taken me, I suppose, 30 years to get to the position to get to the King’s and it will sell out for me doing comedy.

“But I think it’s really hard, still really hard, for women. Not every woman is going to push buttons, but not every man will either.

“The test of quality for me is just the chance to be as s**** as the men.”

This is something echoed by Hannah, who will bring her play, A Work in Progress, to the Glad Cafe later this month.

She said: “What happens when a woman goes up is I’m praying for her to be good, to be funny.

“All my pals happen to be guys and when she goes up, they come out and say they don’t like female comics.

“But they just don’t like a particular female comic. Just because one isn’t funny doesn’t mean all women aren’t.”

Both Hannah and Elaine will perform at this month’s Glasgow International Comedy Festival, which kicks off later this week.

This Friday the Two Doors Down star will take to the stage at the King’s Theatre for a An Audience with Elaine C Smith, an evening promising “stand-up comedy, songs, audience participation and some very special guests”.

Meanwhile, three miles south, 24-year-old Hannah will walk onto the significantly smaller stage at the popular South Side venue alongside Daniel Cullen, a week later, performing the story of two friends who lock themselves in their flat in an attempt to write a career-defining script.

Many may be forgiven for thinking that having the “funniest woman in Scotland” as a mother would be a gift for a young performer trying to make her way in the industry.

But according to actor and comedienne, being the daughter of Elaine C Smith comes with its own challenges, none greater than the very harsh critics at home.

Hannah said: “I know if I told my mum I wanted to be an actor, and I wasn’t good enough, she would have told me.

“If I’m in something, there has to be a half hour discussion afterwards.”

Elaine also says that here husband, producer Bob Morton, along with herself, are fierce critics of all performances, including their daughter’s.

She added: “Her dad and I went along, I have to say with trepidation to one of her early shows.

“I didn’t know what I would say to my daughter when it was terrible, because we love her.

“But literally, within five minutes, I knew she could write. The basis of it was there and I realised she could write funnily, and all those years of watching sitcoms were in the delivery and writing.”

Elaine C Smith performs on Friday, March 15, at the King’s Theatre, Glasgow in An Audience with Elaine C Smith.

A Work in Progress, written by and starring Hannah, shows at The Glad Cafe on March 21 and 22.