Emma Doran, Leicester Square Theatre review - domestic life laid bare

★★★ EMMA DORAN, LEICESTER SQUARE THEATRE Irish comic mixes sentiment and sauciness

Irish comic mixes sentiment and sauciness

The Irish diaspora in London were out in force for Emma Doran’s appearance at Leicester Square Theatre. Her online work and her appearance on Amazon Prime Video's LOL: Last One Laughing Ireland has gained her a huge fanbase in Ireland and beyond – although she did ask if the English in the room had been dragged along by an Irish pal. In truth, they were probably fans anyway – and would surely have been at the gig’s end.

Janine Harouni, Soho Theatre review - families and surviving them

★★★ JANINE HAROUNI, SOHO THEATRE US comic's slick show about relationships

US comic's slick show about relationships

Write about what you know, they say. And just as her previous show was about imminent motherhood (she performed the show while heavily pregnant) now Janine Harouni brings us This Is What You Waited For, which is about – you’ve guessed it – being a parent.

The American comic, however, doesn’t deliver a mushy paean to her toddler son, although he certainly provides a lot of comedy, not least about his big head and the bragging rights she gets for having birthed him.

Bryony Kimmings, Soho Theatre Walthamstow review - captivating tale of the cycle of life

Witty ode to Mother Nature

Bryony Kimmings’ new show – her first in five years – was created to celebrate the opening of Soho Walthamstow, the previously neglected Art Deco beauty that’s now one of London’s shiniest venues. She uses every bit of its vast stage to great effect and even manages to get a chunk of the audience on it for its witty epilogue, of which more later.

The Free Association launch review - strong start for improv company

Troupe moves into permanent home

It’s always good to welcome the opening of a new arts venue, and sadly it doesn’t happen too often in the current economic climate. But bucking the trend is The Free Association, an improv comedy troupe who have been plying their trade in various upstairs rooms in pubs for several years and have now found a permanent base in southeast London.

Nick Helm, Touring review - brash comic shows his vulnerable side

Matters of the heart and heavy metal

Comedy is strange old thing; it’s supposed to be funny ha-ha, but the laughs can often come from a dark place, as evidenced by Nick Helm’s latest show (which I saw at the Arts Depot in London). His mental health has been a backdrop to previous show, but No One Gets Out Alive is his most personal yet as he references the end of an important relationship some years ago, and charts how his television breakthrough proved to be a false dawn in his career.

Kerry Godliman, G-Live review - she's livid but delivers the laughs

Perimenopause provides rich seam of gags

Kerry Godliman is livid, she tells us. Spider webs catching in her hair, the state of the world, her teenage children; you name it, they – and much, much more – irritate her. But she’s hoping it’s a temporary state, as she puts her current maelstrom of emotions down to the fact that she’s going through the perimenopause. And while it may not be a barrel of laughs for her, it provides plenty in Bandwidth.

Edinburgh Fringe 2025 reviews - Cat Cohen / Lachlan Werner / KC Shornima

Defying a health scare; a surreal invention & a distinctive new voice

Cat Cohen, Pleasance Courtyard

In Broad Strokes Cat Cohen paints a fascinating picture of events leading up to the stroke that could have killed her. Thankfully three years on she is now fully recovered – and from near tragedy comes this superb show.

Edinburgh Fringe 2025 reviews - Emmanuel Sonubi / Joz Norris

A second chance at life & a fantastical tale about artistic endeavour

Emmanuel Sonubi, Pleasance Courtyard

This show – Life After Near Death – is not about dying, it is about living, Emmanuel Sonubi tells us. Well, actually it’s about both, as in his case he nearly died of heart failure but, thankfully here he is.

Edinburgh Fringe 2025 reviews - Lily Blumkin / Shamik Chakrabarti

A life in several characters & a Mumbai shaggy-dog story

Lily Blumkin, Gilded Balloon @ Patter House ★★★ 

Lily Blumkin has always planned to be a big-time comic, she tells us. So when her parents downsized and asked her to clear out her childhood bedroom, she went through her stuff – photographs, toys and other oddities – to curate the future museum dedicated to her life and work.