I adore that Blizzard Comedy attracts comedy fans and performers with such a wide range of styles yet so much in common at the same time.
That is exactly what we had this Monday just gone with our penultimate Edinburgh Previews of the year “It’s a Boy?” by Ben Hodge and “The Stand-Up Horror Show” by Tom Short. Stylistically very different shows, but tied together with a mutual earnestness and sense of fun.
We started with Ben’s autobiographical debut “It’s a Boy?” – which is 45 minutes of jokes, commentary and insights of the transmasculine experience. Expect delightfully smutty puns, reclamation of bigotry directed at him to launch off train of thoughts from his school days, his relationship with emo subculture, self-discovery of sexuality and gender and dating as a gay trans man.
“It’s a Boy?” Is a very personal story, but Ben has such a friendly and cheeky stage presence that he really brings you along for the ride and you really feel like you know him at the end. Ben has a unique voice and experience in comedy, and “It’s a Boy?” is a showcase of why we all benefit from more voices like his, a truly brilliant debut you wouldn’t have got from any comedian before him. Exciting things are coming from this boy, and you don’t want to miss out on what he has to offer. Book tickets to see the WIP in Edinburgh here.
After that heartwarming show all about acceptance and self-discovery and the liberating feeling of getting to live your true life – we move onto the comedy juggernaut that is Tom Short’s Stand-Up Horror Show.
A veteran in stand-up, clowning, improv, and everything in-between, The Stand-Up Horror show is an absolutely bonkers showcase of occult themed comedy, occasional magic tricks, and masterclass of visual slapstick whimsey.
I almost don’t want to go into details as I don’t want to spoil the show for you, but what I will say is Tom Short has quite possibly evolved stand-up comedy and indeed all joke-writing and telling to a new level. The comedy nerds in the audience will delight at how he plays with conventions of jokes in a completely new dimension and context. Non comedy nerds will also just have a gloriously fun time as this master of entertainment will provide you a show like no other.
Incredibly accessible and universal comedy that stands apart from the crowd, but what else is new for Tom? Genuinely one of the most creative comic minds of our generation, and you are missing out if you don’t check his work out for yourself. Book tickets to this genre defining show for yourself in Edinburgh here.
Two very distinct shows from two of the loveliest boys and most promising acts on the circuit today, and I absolutely love that we attract the kind of people who will perform such artful shows, and indeed audiences who give them the adoration they deserve.
We have one more double header of Edinburgh Previews coming up on the 24th of July, featuring Singaporean comedy superstar Sam See performing his “Government Approved Sex” and I forget who the other one is, but I’m sure that’ll be good too.
(It’s me, I’m not just being shady to another comedian, I just don’t know how to big myself up without feeling like someone trying to sell you into a pyramid scheme.)
