Underbelly George Square

James Barr: I’m Sorry I Hurt Your Son (Said My Ex to My Mum)

11/08/25

Underbelly George Square (Buttercup), Edinburgh

Comedian/presenter James Barr tackles the thorny issue of domestic violence in this candid one-hour show, as he looks back on an abusive relationship and considers how it has affected him. There’s no denying that there’s some dark material here, but Barr is quick to assure us that we’re allowed to laugh – he’s a comedian, he says; if we don’t respond to his macabre jokes, then we’re just adding to his trauma.

By sharing his story, Barr exposes some of the masculine stereotypes that amplify his feelings of shame: he’s a man; he’s not supposed to be a victim. And there’s the added pressure of being gay: of having already been through the stress of coming out, defending his homosexuality, reassuring his family that he will be okay. How now to admit that he’s really not okay at all?

Directed by Madeleine Parry and Chris Gau, ISIHYS (SMETMM) is a bleakly funny piece, with plenty of laughs to leaven the mood. In fact, I think there’s too much humour here – which I know is an odd criticism to level at a stand-up show. It’s just that the joking feels like a defence mechanism: whenever Barr gets close to revealing some emotion, he cuts away to a smutty one-liner. While these are always funny and elicit laughs, they also serve as a barrier, pushing the audience away. Perhaps he needs more distance from his trauma before he can really open up and mine this material to its full effect – or maybe he will never be comfortable with that.

Either way, ISIHYS (SMETMM) is a witty and thought-provoking stand-up show, and it’s a pleasure to spend an hour in James Barr’s company.

4 stars

Susan Singfield

Geoff Norcott: Right Leaning but Well Meaning

18/08/17

Underbelly George Square, Edinburgh

I’m not sure what to expect from this show and, I have to confess, I’m not really looking forward to it. I’ve been a little bit disappointed with the political comedy I’ve seen so far this year: it’s been good on the comedy, but a bit lightweight politically, mainly lefties – and yes, I am one – criticising other lefties for caring about identity politics and calling out racism. It’s not that the comics don’t have some good points, just that it all feels a bit hackneyed, and it hasn’t opened my eyes at all, or made me look at anything differently.

Geoff Norcott, on the other hand, manages to do just that. I’m relieved to find that he’s quite serious (for a comedian); he’s not a novelty shock-jock right-winger, which is what I feared he’d be, haranguing socialists, making the same points as the other comics, just more forcefully. Instead, he’s thoughtful and insightful, and clearly more of a centrist than anything else. I don’t agree with his politics, but I like the way he expresses them, and he makes some very convincing arguments. Mostly, he demonstrates what gets lost in the world of BTL comments that I read on-line: it’s possible to express right-wing views without being – or even sounding – remotely fascist. And it’s possible to debate a point of view, being open to having your mind changed if the other person says something that resonates, that you realise is right (his line about EU fruit pickers, for example, really gives me pause for thought). And he’s prepared to listen, inviting the audience to contribute their ideas (although we don’t; we seem to be a reticent crowd tonight, despite our laughter showing that we’re happy to be here).

He is funny too, mocking himself as much as anyone. There’s an intensity to his delivery that makes me warm to him, and I’m genuinely interested in what he has to say. If politics could always be this engaging and enjoyable, I don’t think it would be such a dirty word.

4.4 stars

Susan Singfield