Jeremy Hardy

Jeremy Hardy moseys onto stage with no fanfair and addresses his audience with a delightful unashamedly political and personal show. His delivery feels brisk, giving the impression that there’s lots to be said and only a certain amount of time for it to be said in. And everything is worth listening to. Over 30 years as a comedian, much of it satirical and frequently on BBC Radio 4 (small bits of tonight’s first half were familiar to regular listeners of The News Quiz), has left Hardy with all the right tools to deliver pertinent political ideas that prompt thought whilst also proving entertaining.

The second half of the show saw him sharing more about the recent loss of his parents and the etiquette of bereavement – relatable to anyone aware of their own mortality and that of their loved ones in a very approachable fashion, stripping some of the ‘otherness’ of death without taking away the importance of these events. Essentially Hardy gently spoke an old truth – politics are personal and the personal is political. They are entwined, and with this truth satire becomes more accessible and hits that bit harder.

Theatre Royal Brighton, 17 May 2017

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