Tag: comedy

REVIEW: OUTHAUS

Published on by laurentemplepoetLeave a comment

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

funny, and zany, with a lot of heart 

OUTHAUS is charming and genuinely funny comedy about protecting green spaces. Switching between a live cabaret show with audience participation, and the backstage drama filled with political conflict and tensions within interpersonal relationships. 

However, a lot of the world of the play left me very confused. There was a lack of clarity about what the setting of the play was – a pub or a green space, or both? -, who the characters were -plants, humans, or animals? -, and the rules of the dystopian world that these characters lived in was never fully established. However, if your ok with a bit of confusion, then embrace the bonkers-ness and you’ll be in for a great bit of entertainment about an important issue.

This play, that is set in an eccentric bar, was quite befitting staged in the charmingly quirky Kings Arms pub in Salford. This added an authenticity to the piece that wouldn’t be found in a traditional theatre setting. However, it would have been great to see this taken a step further, with the piece being staged in the actual bar area rather than a function room upstairs. As for the staging itself, it was wacky and fun: a mixture of garden and tip yard, with planted pots next to a graffitied toilet, adjacent to the glass bottle covered bar, floral wallpaper and a fake grass turf rug. 

The casts performances were high energy, excelling most in their comedic moments. My personal comedic highlights were the unexpected hilariously filthy puppet show, and when they picked on my friend in the audience, popped a pigeon mask on her, and got her dancing on stage. 

Kristoff (played by Joseph Roberts) was a standout performer, with great physical comedy, he was believably camp and fabulous. But he also held the serious moments with an authentic vulnerability. Georgie Cunningham was cheeky yet charming as Gina. Nicola Hardman played Miss Magnolia with passion and ferocity. Kate Carey transformed into such a realistic jack the lad as Dirt Bag. So much so that I didn’t realise that she was meant playing a drag king rather than an actual man. Alex Suzuki delivered a strong performance as Sunny. But he was sadly let down by the script in the second half, when he suddenly went from redeemable to an uncharacteristically sexist, cartoonish villain. 

Overall, the second half was not a strong as the first. In contrast to the campy, satirical nature of the first half, it was far too serious in tone. I understand that this was done to try and hit home the political messaging behind the play, but I actually found that message much more impactful when it was delivered through humour. 

What I do really commend about OUTHAUS is that it had heart. The passion and hard work that went into it really shone through. When doing some research on Tenderfoot Theatre (the production company behind OUTHAUS) I discovered that they are a an ecotheatre company made up of collaborative team of researchers, designers, and theatre-makers. Their mission is to create bold theatrical works about climate change, with sustainable practice embedded into all that they do. With this in mind, I am very excited to see what comes next from innovative team behind OUTHAUS. 

IN CONVERSATION WITH: Jessica Barton

Published on by ayoungishperspective1Leave a comment

We sat down for an exclusive interview with Jessica Barton whose show Dirty Work brings some Mary Floppin’s cheer to January at the Soho Theatre.

Wipe the wee from the toilet seat and pick up your dirty undies, because The Perfect Nanny is back to teach all you little boys – and girls – a thing or two about running a prim and proper household. Hailed “a rising star and quadruple threat” (Australian Arts Review) and returning from a completely sold-out Edinburgh Fringe run in 2025, Jessica Barton combines a spoonful of song, dance, clowning and deep-cleaning to present a skanky and empowering comedy debut. 

This show runs from 21st Jan to 24th Jan at Soho Theatre. Tickets here

How did blending your VCA musical-theatre training with Gaulier clowning shape the delicious persona of Mary Floppins?

I adore the structure, precision and technique that runs through Musical Theatre, it creates athletes. Here is the sheet music, here is the choreography, here is the script. Do it well, honour the tradition, continue the legacy. Conversely, my training at Gaulier unravelled all of that in an amazing way. It taught me to change on a dime, to fall in love with the fear that comes with existing in not knowing what to do or what will work on stage, and most of all, to not take myself so damn seriously. But there is a world where those elements co-exist and play together. With Mary Floppins, she carries all of that charm and exactitude, but there is something feral and unpredictable that peeks out every now and again.

What do you think audiences are actually craving when they respond so wildly to a character who weaponises domestic disgust for empowerment?

I think they respond wildly because they see familiarity. The everyday mundane frustrations of living as an adult in a relationship, or perhaps even with other housemates or siblings, come to the fore and everyone can share in the tiny things that drive us crazy. Whether it’s discrepancies in how we stack the dishwasher or, as my hoarding slob of an ex once said, “different threshold of cleanliness”, how we live and cohabitate in shared spaces is a common experience that people can relate to. For women (who carry out 75% of unpaid care and domestic work globally*) I hope they feel that their frustrations of picking up after others is not trivial and should be voiced. For men, I hope they understand that their partners may want to f**k them more if they took care of themselves and quit searching for mummy within their hunny. 

As a “quadruple threat,” which skill—song, dance, clowning or cleaning —became the unexpected backbone of Dirty Work during its evolution?

Cleaning is by far the backbone of Dirty Work – as an audience member in Taipei said after watching, “she’s not only cleaning up the stage, she’s cleaning up her heart”. 

How has performing this show across Australia, Taipei and Edinburgh shifted your understanding of what different cultures find funny—or taboo?

Throughout the last year performing Dirty Work, I’ve come to realise the intense nostalgic effect that Julie Andrews’ Mary Poppins has on British culture and how precious it is. I adore the film and the character is well-loved in Australia, which meant Australian audiences enjoyed seeing someone posh, prim and proper get down and dirty. However, I believe she is more held in a glass box in the UK, it’s riskier territory to mess up someone so perfect, and fair enough. Therefore, in rehearsal with my wonderful director Dan Wye, we’ve been interrogating how we can best honour the incredible firm-but-kind legacy of the original iconic character within the show’s context. However, it turns out male helplessness is universally understood and laughable. Who knew! 

What personal rule or fear did you have to break to commit fully to the skankiest, boldest parts of the show?

Back in my Musical Theatre degree, there was an elective subject called “Intimate Acts” which was all about making your own work. I had a panic attack after the first class and signed up for Pop Song Writing instead. I was in a terrible fear of making my own work, I vowed that I would never do it: I wasn’t smart enough, I wasn’t experienced enough, and I didn’t have anything prominent to say. Writing Dirty Work came out of necessity – a totally bizarre life experience occurred that I didn’t want to happen to anyone else, I had a need to tell the story. So, I overcame my fear of writing my own work in order to fully commit to being skanky & bold. In this case, skanky & bold means exposing crap behaviour and holding cis-het men accountable for their living styles. The irony of fearing making my own work whilst happily writing my own songs in Pop Song Writing class is now clear to me. Hindsight is a beautiful thing. 

In a piece that leans so heavily on audience interaction, what’s the wildest moment that taught you something new about your own performance limits?

There is a part in the show when I am lifted off the ground and one man’s hand was accidentally placed on my left boob the whole time. He didn’t notice, but I pointed it out to the audience, and we all got to share in the confusion and hilarity of it all. It was dreadfully funny. I am still discovering and playing with the power that I have as a performer on stage when an audience member is up there with me. There are clowns out there who manage to get their audiences to do some really wild stuff, I feel like I’m still learning how far I can go whilst keeping them and myself safe.

* McKinsey Global Institute (2015), The Power of Parity: how advancing women’s equality can add $12 trillion to global growth

REVIEW: A Queermas Carol

Published on by eloisebarber611Leave a comment

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

“This piece was a beautiful combination of adult humour and poignant themes wrapped up with ghosts and christmas songs. “


A Queermas Carol was a beautifully well – rounded demonstration of how theatre should be a safe space, both shown through the actors’ vulnerability and also the clear demographic of the audience. The duo, accompanied by the disembodied voice of Charles Dickens (Micky Cochrane) and their wonderful special guest, Carmen Silk, brought some societally heavy topics to life in an engaging and playful way that had the whole audience on the edge of their seats with both laughter and anticipation. 

The opening rap of the show was an immediate hook into the piece and also set the expectations of the audience – establishing that the audience was expected and encouraged to interact. As someone who loves immersive theatre, being given permission to interact and feel at the same level as the performers was a really nice addition. It also goes without saying that the opening rap set up the piece as being unapologetically camp – arguably to be expected from the title but was really lovely to be reflected by the performers and the way that they presented themselves in the space. 

As in the original story, we were introduced to the ghosts – not just Marley and Marley, but also of Past, Present and Future, which is where we really saw the actors’ vulnerability. Rhi started this off by delving into the past, bringing themes of discovery of self and the feeling of isolation to the forefront. This was brilliantly done, as it allowed the performers to reflect feelings that I would guess a lot of the audience would have felt at some points in their life. Following this, in the Present, we saw a version of Bob Cratchitt and Tiny Tim that followed the realities of being transgender in the current society. This was particularly poignant due to the current potentialities of imposing governmental laws. My friend who attended with me spoke to Mack at the end, expressing her appreciation for that story being told as she has a trans partner – further proving how important it is for these stories to be told. 

Of course, these themes weren’t just brought up in a straight forward way, no not at all. Rhi’s delving into the past was accompanied by the brilliant character that was the furbigotchi – no context needed, you’ll have to see the show – and Mack’s Bob Cratchitt moment was set up with him being portrayed as a ‘DILF’, both of which juxtaposed the seriousness of the stories being told beautifully, allowing us to laugh at the funny moments and listen when we needed to. 

Carmen Silk brought a few minutes of cabaret style singing – obviously different depending on the guest you see, this will be different, but she had a lovely voice and connected incredibly well to the audience in the short time she was on stage. 

Using Charles Dickens as a (mostly) just voice over character was a very well thought out choice, as it emphasised the way that the queerness of the characters was being policed, which I thought landed subtly but very well. I may be a bit biased, but I particularly enjoyed the ending of the piece after being entrusted to look after the Tiny Tim puppet (thanks Mack!). I won’t go into too much detail so as to not spoil this piece, but it was wrapped up in a lovely way that both kept the audience laughing but also left them satisfied.

Overall, I would highly recommend this piece to anyone looking for both a laugh and also to see themselves reflected in the stories told.  

REVIEW: Pippin

Published on by sophieelizabethmorrisonLeave a comment

Rating: 4 out of 5.

“Whimsical, immersive, bohemian. This highly talented cast, team of creatives and crew excellently capture the mystical world of Hirson and Schwartz’s Pippin. “

Hirson and Schwartz’s Pippin follows a young prince in search of passion and adventure in his life. To prove that he is a valuable player in his father’s jumbled chess set (King Charles), he goes to war. However, when the Leading Player convinces him to strike back against tyranny, Pippin kills his father and takes over the throne. He soon realises being a great ruler is not as easy as he had thought, so continues his quest where he meets widow Catherine and her son Theo along the way. Pippin must make a difficult choice of whether to settle down or to keep making magic with the symphony of players who promised him success in finding a purpose. 

Amanda Nor’s revival magically captured the world of the players through a mystical lens, immediately immersing audience members with the selection of Pippin from amongst the spectator seating, alluding to the message that he is one of us from the start and allowing further empathy towards his character. The entire piece was well directed from the get-go, with not a creative choice out of place, allowing each member of the cast to shine with their individual talents.

We are left in the capable hands of Emily Friberg (Leading Player), who effortlessly shone with her powerhouse voice and captivating storytelling and expression. Emily demonstrated the puppeteer role of the Leading Player, manipulating Pippin throughout the piece and showing an impressive range of emotion and musicality, a triple threat indeed. Our protagonist, Lewis Edgar as Pippin, demonstrated his incredible tenor voice and huge range of acting skills as he unpicks Pippin’s character as if living the role. Lewis continued to portray a truth and humbleness to the character, married with a powerful belt in songs reflecting Pippin’s struggle and triumph. Mia Quimpo as the wonderful Catherine also elegantly showed her talents in her beautiful, powerful voice and inviting narration, with great comedic timing as she breaks the narrative and releases new life into the performance much to the Leading Player’s chagrin. 

Clare Brice (Berthe) had a warm, wonderful stage presence with brilliant comedic elements, fluid and flexible dancing with noticeable musicality and offered a safe space for audience interaction during her big number. Oliver Wood (Charles) gave an impressive offering of skill during a patter song with his great diction and comedy skills whilst also showing vulnerability in his final moments after his tyrannical reign. Helena Caldas (Fastrada) had such wonderful technique in her dancing and beautiful singing voice as she exudes a charming yet commanding role using the band to her advantage to have Charles (and the audience) in the palm of her hand. 

Daniel North (Louis) gave a wonderful range of character and fluidity in movements. I wish I had more opportunities to hear him sing since I heard some powerful notes towards the finale, such a strong voice. Similarly with Imogen Amos and George Kipa, however the two showcase their individualism with Imogen’s excellent Dance Captain abilities with Fosse influences and George’s great strength and dance technique with captivating facial expressions. 

Musical choices were excellently carried out by Harry Style and Manuel Gageiro alongside Martin T. Hart as Magic Consultant to really sell the travelling magic show. Set and costume by Hannah Danson also added to the whimsical aesthetic with contemporary influences and astrological ones – so much detail! Simon Jackson’s lighting design further personified the Leading Player’s actions in particular.

Overall this revival demonstrated how our great purpose in life is just to love and allow yourself to be loved through a wonderfully talented team of cast, creatives and crew.

REVIEW: Jack and the Beanstalk

Published on by nebularis85Leave a comment

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

“A sparkly spectacular splendour to behold from start to finish!“

A sparkly sensation with a phenomenal cast and ensemble to boot – if you weren’t feeling Christmassy before you absolutely will be after Crossroads Pantomime production of Jack and the Beanstalk. 

This show has something for everyone. Allan Stewart, Grant Stott and Jordan Young take to the stage again as the dynamic trio strongly and effortlessly supported by Clare Gray as Pat the cow, with her quick-witted charm and well-timed comical moments. Gail Watson makes for a fun-loving Spirit of the beans adding feistiness and a sprinkle of magic with every entrance. Amber Sylvia Edwards delivers real power and passion as princess Jill with great show stopping vocals.

Ed Curtis, the director, delivers an extravaganza of colour and pomp including many laugh-out -loud moments with Young, Stott and Stewart showcasing their professionalism and skill.  Including aptly chosen and relevant for all jokes written by Stewart and Harry Michaels with additional material by Stott and Young, these moments land well with an Edinburgh audience. There are also hilariously planted mishaps written in to deliberately “rile” up an enthusiastically engaged crowd of all ages. 

At times it feels a little more royal variety show than panto, however it never deters too far from the classic tale of Jack who sells his cow Pat for a bag of magic beans where he then finds, with the help of the Spirit of the beans, they have transformed into a large beanstalk leading to the evil Giant in the sky. 

Accompanied by the well-orchestrated band conducted by MD Andy Pickering, cleverly crafted familiar songs range from all eras and are delivered excellently by all the cast. Most memorably Grant Stott opens the second half with a fantastic parody villain song “Fee Fi Fo Fum” to the music from Rocky Horror picture show’s “Sweet Transvite”. Stott just gets on with making a brilliant pantomime villain using his height to tower over and create the right level of menace. He has successfully encompassed the role of the silly baddie side kick named Fleshcreep, the Giant in the sky’s evil henchman.

All the production splendour couldn’t be better driven by anyone other than pantomime dame, Allan Stewart, playing Aunty May, Jack’s loving albeit larger than life mother. Stewart well versed in panto traditions gives us a nostalgic trip down memory lane in his song “Tea and medals” where we see how he progressed from the hero to the dame. 

Stewart creates high energy fun with well executed gags and physical comedy from start to finish. He and Jordan Young playing Jack are highly experienced and hugely entertaining as a son and mother duo. Young enhances the well-timed comedic moments with Stewart, and they bounce of each other seamlessly even when things go wrong.

The set designed by Mark Walters is a sight to behold with everything expected for a traditional pantomime of this magnitude including incredible backdrops, props and puppetry. Nothing is simply left to imagination and the level of mastery and breathtaking craftmanship is truly impressive. 

Rory Beaton lighting designer executes all the lighting and sparkle one could hope for as it encapsulates the vibes for a Christmas pantomime. Richard Brookers sound design is slick and well timed for the slapstick moments adding a great level of energy to the performance. Not forgetting Karen Martins tight and incredibly executed choreography by the ensemble. Martin gives us many impressive moments of acrobats and stylistic movement delivering the “wow!” factor one hopes to see from a skilled ensemble. 

Costume designer Teresa Nalton creates beautifully crafted costumes with lights threaded throughout for the most immersive sparkle during those key big moments and turning points within the show. 

“Jack and Beanstalk” delivers on every level of magic, laughter and fun. If you manage to see one thing before the end of 2025 or you are needing a good idea for treating someone in the new year, then make it this, “Jack and the Beanstalk, The Giant PANTOMIME spectacular” at the Festival theatre. Running from 13th December 2025 to 11th January 2026- it’s one not to be missed!


Credit: Ray Roberts

REVIEW:Prashasti Singh: Divine Femine

Published on by isabellescerriLeave a comment

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

“A confident, cleverly-crafted evening. Prashasti knows how to work a crowd. “

Soho Theatre downstairs was graced with the returning presence of Prashasti Singh,a 30-something (she won’t tell you how old she is) Indian comedian for her performance of Divine Feminine. The stand-up routine sought to explore themes of therapy, the psyche, gendered stereotypes and contemporary Indian society. Singh greets a bubbly, packed room and is keen to engage the audience in her opening moments. The audience soon learn Singh is far from shy, and cleverly engages with the key themes from the off, satirically remarking upon male privilege. 

Singh navigates her set through her discussions of aging and her journey of self-discovery. Intertwined with gags of Indian celebrity references, Singh takes the audience on a very relatable and honest journey. Working chronologically with age, where we learn Singh wanted to be her dad as a child, and channelling through to her later 30s, the set appears very neatly choreographed. 

Having discovered the demographic of the room, being majority over 30 and of Indian decent, Singh attempts to include the audience in the story to the best of her ability and at times her storytelling is spot on. In some moments however, the jokes felt limited to specific experiences and knowledge. In particular, the presentation of an Indian celebrity on an easel, witnessed a divide in the audiences understanding. This moment later led to more confusion as the set referenced back to the celebrity. 

Yet as Singh exclaims, some sentences simply cannot be translated, and a few members of the audience would have to miss out. Nevertheless, her conversations on mental health felt very important, giving insightful takes on being single, losing a sense of self and family pressures. Where a sense of collective understanding was created, is where this performance felt the must successful. Singh’s explorations of relationships with men felt very apt, pinpointing the harsh realities of their behaviour. She calls on the men in the audience at times, and they are seen to joyfully laugh along at themselves. The end of the set reveals where the Divine Feminine title comes into the piece. The potential for this ending moment felt big,as Singh builds much anticipation towards this moment, expanding on the specific details of her story. However, I couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed in its finale, where the end product didn’t land as well as the build-up. Regardless, the crowd-control Singh had was undeniable and this elegantly crafted performance left the audience feeling warm, listened to and with a smile on every face.

REVIEW: Shaun the Sheep’s Circus Show

Published on by Seth Connor-FullwoodLeave a comment

Rating: 4 out of 5.

playful, impressive, and very enjoyable, but some unnecessary or overused aspects 

The first half of Yaron Lifschitz’s Shaun the Sheep’s Circus Show is structured episodically, with short and fast-paced sketches about each of the characters. Up to the interval, there’s a distinct focus on physical comedy and prop-based gags. I particularly enjoyed the slapstick violence, like the farmer falling over and slipping off the stage, a sheep being run over by a tyre, people turning round and accidentally hitting each other with things like seesaws or pig’s troughs- a slapstick classic!

The performers were all great, especially their ability to portray emotions through, essentially, nothing but animal noises and gibberish. The synchronisation was always really impressive, and some moments made me wonder how they were even doing them.

   The scene with Timmy and his mum was a tender moment of emotional contrast, and used audience interaction neatly; I also enjoyed the opening routine with the Farmer building up to the flock appearing.

The puns on the billboard screen were all funny, and I thought the paper plane prop becoming part of the animations and then going back to being a prop was great, but for the rest of the first half it felt like the screen wasn’t really used in any meaningful way.

I loved Jethro Woodward’s music, which switched between energetic, bouncier pieces (calling to mind a mix of mid-period Stereolab and club music) as well as more beautiful and tenser, more dramatic ones. I really liked some of the other audio motifs, in particular the use of the theme tune, although the lightbulb idea sound effect felt overused by the end of the show.

The lighting- designed by Jason Organ- often functions as a subtle contrast with the heightened performances and music. The cuts to black in the sequence with the dog and the postman are very effective at breaking up and subverting the episodic structure, previously reinforced by the lighting. 

Similarly, the Bull felt especially powerful and intimidating when it first appeared, as the only part of the first half that interrupted the character-based structure of the different sketches. Unfortunately, this is lost in its reappearance after the interval, when it’s lost in all the other elements onstage.

In a lot of ways, the second half of the show is completely different. More focused on the overall story about the Farmer’s TV than on character-based sketches, it feels like much more of a full circus show than a piece of physical theatre, with almost all of the classic circus acts coming after the interval. This meant that the show felt unbalanced. For me, the pig trapeze and the first half of the juggling routine could easily have been moved to the first half. Because of this imbalance, I kept feeling in the first half like I was waiting for a spectacle that just didn’t come.

In the second half, the billboard, used to show the live facial expressions of all the performers, felt overused. The performers were constantly performing to the screen instead of the audience, making it distracting and unnecessary. The video game sketch with the billboard was also essentially repeated immediately afterwards by the performers.

The circus costumes at the start of the second half were gorgeous, but the brown tracksuits at the end felt a little out of place, as if they’d come from nowhere. I loved the hats and wigs representing the different characters. 

I wish the performers had interacted with the stage more, especially with all the different levels, or maybe used elements of the set such as the billboard in physical ways, not just for the videos and animations. 

Instead there was a focus on prop-based comedy, which was always entertaining, but the best moments were consistently when the performers used the stage to their advantage: rolling down the hill, the house being used as a hat, and the sequence with the dog chasing the postman.

The glow-in-the-dark juggling and hula hooping- another example of routines which used the stage to their advantage being the best ones- looked brilliant, but admittedly did peter out. This was also my feeling about the show overall: very visually impressive, but with an ending that felt a bit weak. Saying it was anti-climactic is maybe too harsh, but I thought the end of the first half was more impressive than the grand finale. 

REIVEW: Most Favoured at Soho Theatre

Published on by Ben BreenLeave a comment

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

A perfectly-cast character comedy which goes in an unexpected direction

Eight months of one-night-stands might be seen as a worrying symptom of the decaying social contract, a courageous reclamation of female sexuality, or even the start of a celebrity career. For thirty-something Mary (Lauren Lyle), it’s her new year’s resolution, designed to inject some spice into her life. And perhaps also just a bit of a cry for help. David Ireland’s very funny two-hander takes place after one of Mary’s conquests, as each lover shares a secret with their recent bedfellow. It’s a snappy script rich with observational humour and character comedy, keeping the audience laughing throughout.

Most Favoured isn’t about rapid-fire gags; instead, it feels like a comforting sitcom, where the better you know its characters, the funnier each scene becomes. Mary’s neurotic need for things to make sense combines well with the puppy dog energy of American tourist Mike (Alexander Arnold). Alongside excellent character comedy, there are some laugh-aloud observations, taking in topics ranging from KFC fries and wake-up sex to the UK-US language barrier. Both roles have been perfectly cast, with each character forming a ready connection with the audience; Lyle in particular pulls some cracking facial expressions.

In the show’s early scenes, Mike seems just a little too stereotyped as the goofy small-town American: he claims not to have heard of KFC, is easily distracted, and brushes off Mary’s dramatic revelation as if he hasn’t grasped it fully. But when his own secret comes to light, these earlier scenes make sense through a new lens. Whilst another script would milk dramatic tension from Mary’s revelation, Most Favoured isn’t like other shows, and its pace and humour are all the better for Mike’s flippant response. By the time the curtain goes down, the audience feel tenderness and warmth towards both characters.

From the outset, there’s a lot of flesh on display: Mary begins wrapped in a towel, and Mike wears a small pair of white underpants. But as Mary’s revelation approaches, and the audience gain a sense of her context, layers of clothing are added, telling their own story. When Mike dresses towards the show’s conclusion, his outfit is similarly well-chosen, augmenting the plot unfolding onstage. Similar attention to detail extends to the set, with an excellent visual gag hidden in plain sight. From casting to costume to set, everything comes together and amplifies the laughs.

It’s a real steal for Soho Theatre to host David Ireland’s World Premiere – his last show opened at the glitzier, considerably larger Soho Place with Martin Freeman ably supported by rising star Joe Locke. Most Favoured is certainly a sillier show, with funnier one-liners, but it retains the sharp, intimate chemistry that makes Ireland a writer to watch. The smaller space fits this one-act, 45-minute show well, and the pint-sized performance does nothing to diminish Ireland’s sharp writing and intimate character work.

At its heart, Most Favoured is a very funny, superbly acted, and precisely designed character comedy, which keeps the audience guessing. An earlier start time suggests audiences could catch another show afterwards, but this press night overruns by ten minutes, making it a stretch. Nevertheless, Most Favoured is an excellent appetiser ahead of a West End main course, and also stands on its own as a bite-sized piece of compelling comedy.

Most Favoured plays at Soho Theatre until 24th January. Tickets can be purchased here.

IN CONVERSATION WITH: Joz Norris

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Multi-award-winning “absurdist genius” (Entertainment Now) Joz Norris has finally completed his life’s work, and is ready to unveil it to the world – but what exactly is it? And what will he do next?

What did “completing your life’s work” actually mean to you, and when did you realise the show had become that?

My previous show before this one had been such a huge effort to complete that I remember thinking once I finished it I would unlock this higher state of being as a reward for all my hard work. But whenever you finish off a huge project, your life actually just sort of…carries on? It’s always very confronting. Then a little later I had this idea about a guy who was so excited to be giving a TED Talk that he forgot to do it. Those two ideas collided together, and the show came to be about a guy who has literally poured his entire life into the thing he’s making, but doesn’t really what’s going to happen when he does it. As for what “the life’s work” actually is – I couldn’t possibly spoil the big reveal…

After such a successful Fringe run, how did you approach bringing the show to audiences beyond Edinburgh?

The last time I made a show that had a successful enough Fringe run to justify trying to take it on the road to reach audiences around the UK was in 2019, but then sadly a pandemic shut down all of civilisation. Me not being able to tour a show in which I put on a fake beard and sunglasses and danced around singing “I’m Mr Fruit Salad” was undoubtedly the worst thing about this period of history. This time round, I just reached out to theatres I love and they were all very keen to take it, which was lovely. Now I just have to hope no major global disasters get in the way. If they do, then the message from the universe will be very clear.

How do ambition and closure—two big themes of the show—intersect in your own creative process?

Like I said, the last time I had that bump back down to earth after making a big project, it threw me for six a little bit. So this time, I really wanted to embed that message into the thing I was making, so I didn’t get lost in my own expectations for the work – I was making a show ABOUT the fact that you have to make stuff because you love it, not because you have expectations for what you will achieve through it. That way madness lies. So this time I was able to just make stuff from a very pure place of loving what I was doing and it felt very freeing. For a show all about delusion and failure and frustrated ambition, it was incredibly joyful and playful to make.

  • What surprised you most while developing this show compared to your previous work?

I gave myself certain rules for the show before I started – minimal props and costumes and tech, a sort of “acoustic show” that was supposed to be as close as I could get to just writing an autobiographical stand-up show. Not one of those rules stuck – it became clearer and clearer that I was writing another absurdist meta narrative character show that was going to be full of musical setpieces and pre-recorded voices and required a silly costume. So I guess the big surprise was, it doesn’t matter how you try to short-circuit your own creative output, your brain wants to make what it wants to make.

Do you feel differently about the show now that it’s finished and out in the world, and if so, how?

It’s lovely when you do a show and it has a great response and that nervous little voice in your head that goes “God, I hope this is good and people like it” turns into a more confident voice saying “Hey, this IS good and people DO like it!” You’ve got to not get carried away, of course – I’m INSISTING that the statues people make out of me be fashioned from bronze not gold, because I am after all just a normal human man. But now it exists and it’s out there I guess I’m just really proud of it and excited for more people to see it! I’m proud to have made something that took a very specific feeling inside my head and turned it into something that lots of people connected and related to.

What do you hope audiences in Oxford take away from this performance that they might not expect?

There are obviously a lot of thematic things people took away from it that seemed to really resonate, but judging from the reactions in Edinburgh, it seems like the thing people take away from it the most is that the final 10 minutes or so hotwires their brains. There was a lot of “Nothing can prepare you for the final act of this show.” Obviously I cannot give away any details about what that involves, but quite a few people said they couldn’t breathe. I don’t know what the big deal was myself – to me the final act is the inevitable and logical conclusion to all that has come before, but a lot of people just didn’t seem ready for it. Let’s hope Oxford come prepped!

REVIEW: Phil Ellis: Bath Mat

Published on by Hebe JonesLeave a comment

Rating: 3 out of 5.

‘I thought I was in for an hour of well crafted surprises and silliness but what it actually felt like was a work-in-progress show’

Off the back of competing (and losing) in the most recent series, Series 20 of Taskmaster, Phil Ellis is now on tour, beginning his five-month stretch with five sold-out nights at Soho Theatre. Bath Mat is described as a “brand-new show”, yet the friend who accompanied me had seen Ellis twice before and noted material she had heard on both occasions, four years ago.

Opening with his “Hype Man”, who has the amusing vibe of a slightly odd nephew, Tom primed the audience to see the “best show ever” performed by the “biggest loser”. I thought I was in for an hour of well-crafted surprises and silliness, but what it actually felt like was a work-in-progress show. Technical faults, such as the PowerPoint slideshow of stock dog images falling out of sync during what could have been a funny and odd song, overshadowed the enjoyment of the tune. The resulting technical and physical chaos felt less like rehearsed disorder and more like things simply going wrong.

Ellis even spoke about the importance of momentum in comedy, and there were moments in the show that were quick, sharp, and well delivered. But these were often undercut by abrupt changes in rhythm or narrative, followed by Ellis’s own snickering, which further stalled the flow. The show’s structure was quite piecemeal. Ellis dips his toe into various comedy styles: songs, slapstick, visual humour (the PowerPoint), clowning, and audience interaction. Crucially, the show’s main point remains unclear. His material touches on his home life and living in Preston, and while these stories were nuanced and often fun, their order and delivery felt a bit like spaghetti thrown at a wall. He would begin a story, segue away, and then choose not to finish it, creating the sense of real-time editing and rearranging.

This disjointedness stems largely from the lack of a clear concept or through-line. The title, Bath Mat, gives no clue as to what the show is about, nor is a bath mat ever mentioned in the content. This makes it difficult for the audience, and perhaps even Ellis himself, to ground themselves in anything certain.

However, I may have caught him on an off night. His jokes about a kestrel and smoke alarms landed very well, but others missed. Halfway through the show, Ellis, in a slightly strained yet frantically “keeping it cool” manner, asked Tom how long he had left. He also checked his watch several times. It is always unnerving when a comedian does this; it is something I would expect from a newcomer or a WIP show, but not from a comedian of his calibre who has just begun a long tour.

All things considered, it is clear Phil Ellis is a funny man, and perhaps this was his aim: to ironically not put on the “best show ever”. However, if that was the intention, it did not feel deliberate enough. I think of Acorn Antiques or the more blatant work by Mischief Theatre, both great examples of well-rehearsed organised chaos. If Ellis was attempting something similar, something needs to shift, as the show currently sits in the grey area between messy and planned. There was also a reliance on the unspoken expectation that the audience were already fans. I had never seen a Phil Ellis show, and I believe this put me at a disadvantage, which really should not be the case. If your material neglects newcomers, how are you meant to get them on your side and make them laugh?

I would be interested to see another Phil Ellis show, hopefully with a cleaner delivery.