Comedy
Words: Caitlin Todd
4 stars
A long-standing favourite of the British comedy scene, Andy Parsons returns to the Fringe with Please #@!$ Off To Mars, following last year’s sold-out Bafflingly Optimistic. With accolades from Time Out, Montreal Just For Laughs and the New Zealand International Comedy Festival, Parsons has long since cemented his place as one of the sharpest political satirists in the game.
Before even stepping onto the stage, Parsons has the crowd laughing. This is thanks in part to an overly detailed venue risk assessment that he turns into a gag about bureaucratic absurdity. That’s Parsons in a nutshell: the ability to take the mundane and mine it for well-observed, tightly constructed comedy.
And the energy does not dip. The set spirals from an attempt at banter with his teenage son, to GCSE science trivia involving woodlice, to a blistering critique of political figures – at one point Parsons quips that Elon Musk should set up a SpaceX community with Donald Trump, Nigel Farage and Jeff Bezos.
It’s classic Parsons, all delivered with the familiar exasperated charm that made him a Mock the Week favourite. While some political comics veer into cynicism, Parsons offers something more generous. He invites us not just to rage against the world’s absurdities, but to laugh with him at the sheer ridiculousness of it all. “Life is hard – come laugh about it” is the tag, and Parsons delivers.
Audience participation is light-touch and well-judged, while his material feels honed yet spontaneous. He’s a comic who understands his audience and never underestimates their intelligence. With five specials and multiple tours under his belt, Parsons knows exactly how to work a room, and this show is no exception.
Please #@!$ Off To Mars is a brisk, brilliant hour of sharply observed satire. Whether you’re a political junkie or simply someone who’s ever shouted at the news, this is one not to miss.
Andy Parsons: Please #@!$ Off To Mars
Cabaret Bar at Pleasance Courtyard
18:50
30th July – 10th Aug (not 4th)