Review by Lucy Holz
Fresh off their Most Outstanding Show win at this year’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival, it’s unsurprising Sarah Keyworth’s show at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe is already completely sold out.
With strikingly similar mannerisms to fellow British comic James Acaster, Keyworth gives the impression that they were born to be on stage. Their style is conversational and endearingly awkward, from their constant posing of questions to the way they hold the mic.
Beginning with some classically relatable material around family holidays, the years of angsty teenage hood and turning 30, Keyworth makes the audience feel welcome and immediately comfortable. They quickly segue from these more general topics to the real theme of the show, Keyworth’s decision to have top surgery to align with their non-binary identity more closely. And who knew having a double mastectomy could be so funny?
Keyworth weaves this story with the upmost skill. Every anecdote is peppered with jokes as we hear the tale of their choice to get this life-altering and affirming surgery. The stories are never rambling, with every word feeling like it’s been selected for maximum comic impact with an effortless off-the-cuff effect.
Keyworth has gained a massive online following, mostly credited to their hilarious snippets of crowd work. There is one small moment of audience interaction in this show when Keyworth asks if anyone can ‘name a good man’. It’s a little unclear at first if they are asking for an actual response and the repartee between them and an audience member is relatively quick and painless.
Other than this moment, the show is expertly crafted to perfection. Keyworth brings home their hour of consistent chuckles with an honest and heartfelt ode to their supportive family. Leaving audience members nodding in recognition and wiping away tears of empathy, Keyworth leaves us with the impression that they really do have the best family you could ever ask for.
Although tickets are already completely exhausted at Edinburgh Fringe this year, keep an eye out for their next shows, since this is one rising star you definitely should not miss.
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