Ben Elton, Rachel Fairburn, The Sisters Fig - Mark Muldoon's Comedy Diary

Written by: Mark Muldoon
Published: Sunday 16th March 2025

Fair to say there's been critical acclaim for Authentic Stupidity, Ben Elton's first tour since 2019. Some reviewers have praised how he has stuck largely to his liberal roots as he's reached his mid-60s, which certainly isn't the comic direction many of his peers have chosen to take.

Much of the show centres on Elton finding his place in the world: once at the forefront of the liberal movement, now either admirably trying to keep pace, or pausing for a moment to question the left's received thinking. And plenty of it is good - take, as one example, his bulletproof argument for anybody who tries to suggest James Bond has a drinking problem.

On the odd occasion, however, it's thoroughly unoriginal. Nobody needs another comedian suggesting that if we keep adding more groups to the LGBTQI acronym, it'll soon just include everybody. Then comes his big set-piece: his real anti-woke moment, as he launches himself into the current discourse about whether or not, say, straight actors should play homosexual characters.

Come down on whichever side of the fence you like on that debate, frankly, but Elton warps the discussion to claim that, were he to write his second novel now - which featured two wheelchair-bound characters - publishers would get too nervous about potential criticism that could arise from an able-bodied writer writing about disabled people, and decide it's safer to just not publish.

Is that actually the case though, Elton? Or maybe it's just that what was edgy and progressive in 1991 is naturally going to be less edgy and progressive in 2025, so therefore just generally represents less of dynamite publishing opportunity?

He goes on to detail his full thoughts, claiming that, because of the censorious left wing, no writers in 2025 are allowed to write about characters with any sensitive attributes that the writer themselves doesn't possess. Elton might claim to be employing comedic exaggeration here, but if so, he's playing it pretty straight, giving no indication that this is anything other than his strongly-held belief. His audience - who, with the best will in the world, are probably not too close to the coalface on this particular cultural issue - very much react as if this is a fully realistic description of the modern arts world, rather than a twisted vision of it you'd imagine a right wing newspaper columnist concocting.

It's a shame, because as I say, there's plenty of good material elsewhere in the show, alongside far more commendable examples of social political thinking. This performance was being recorded, so you'll presumably get a chance to watch it at some point. Given how much it would've benefited from substantial editing, that might be exactly what Authentic Stupidity could do with.

Sometimes in comedy journalism you'll agree to cover a show, attend, then a couple of days later notice that your colleague - who's both a better writer and more handsome than you - has already attended an earlier performance and has just published his thoughts on it.

Well, I'll carry on anyway, and hope I find something to tell you that Bobby hasn't already. As it's exciting to have Next Big Thing award nominee/co-host of hit podcast All Killa No Filla Rachel Fairburn arrive in London, on her Side Eye tour.

Exciting? Well, it marks something of a departure for her, as she tackles a proper character comedy show for the first time. Behind her, seven mannequin heads line up on a table, each sporting the accessories she'll use to inhabit each character.

It certainly doesn't need to be as clever a piece of writing as it is - the seven characters are interlinked, narratives emerging throughout the show, which Fairburn likens at one point to a soap opera. All of which could've easily coasted along on the quality of its humour alone: amongst no shortage of anal jokes you'll find comedy's finest yet Phillip Schofield one-liner, alongside sparkling other examples on the twin topics of Captain Tom and Rick & Morty fans.

This main section comes in at only 40 minutes (maybe therefore a little shorter than it was at the Edinburgh Fringe?). That's the way to do it: a tight, no-fat-whatsoever piece of writing. Then after an interval Fairburn returns for about half an hour of trad stand-up, which finds her as deliciously merciless as ever. This is all very accomplished, if you'd maybe stop short of calling it essential. Are Fairburn's thoughts on self-service checkouts clever and amusing enough to justify her alighting on the none-more-hack subject? Sadly not. Still, her desires for her own 'inconvenient death' will certainly live long in the memory.

If you tend to go wild for the type of anarchic fantasist narrative comedy The Delightful Sausage became famous for, The Sisters Fig make them look like Micky Flanagan and Jack Whitehall.

Which is to say: expect a wild ride. The show is brought to us by newcomer comedy duo Porridge After Meat (great name), and tells the story of two codependent dysfunctional half-sisters (Blaise Wopperer and Lara Ciulli) who are constantly bickering, often arguing, occasionally violent with each other. All whilst living on a farm with an alcoholic father.

And for mad late-night comedy fun, it takes some beating. They hit you with wave after wave of silly joy. Given the tone of the show, you may not be expecting there to be a plot that receives a satisfying resolution, which only multiplies your pleasure when exactly that arrives. They're my new favourite undiscovered comedy gem.

Read previous editions of this column, featuring Inside No. 9: Stage/Fright, Andy Zaltzman and the Top 50 Live Comedy Shows of 2024.

Mark Muldoon is also available on Instagram, Threads and Bluesky. He's actually now kinda curious how a Micky Flanagan and Jack Whitehall double act would pan out.