Anyone remotely interested in politics in the last five years will recognise those words as the eternal rallying cry for Jeremy Corbyn’s doomed career as Labour leader. It’s hard to know whether those leaning on the left will remember those words with a rose-tinted nostalgia or a thousand-yard stare as they flashback to the 2019 general election, with spirit crushing exit polls and cruel results filtering through.
Stephen G Titley, an old, jaded, leftie comedian takes this background and uses it to trace an emotional history of UK politics on the left. From John Major to New Labour to the Tory carousel and all the way to Corbyn and Starmer. It’s speckled with some interesting political satire and clever one-liners, and it’s endearing to watch Titley spin a long yarn and give you his thoughts on the last 30 years of British politics. Some sections morph into tangential lectures where it becomes difficult to discern the point he is trying to make; it can feel aimless. In this way, the show lacks any real structure – which can lend it a slightly awkward atmosphere, especially with a small crowd.
When he finally comes to the crux of the show, where he asks the question, was Jeremy Corbyn the messiah or just another guy, he lands firmly on the latter. Once again, his point becomes a bit muddled, but he keeps it light-hearted and manages to pull off a grand and ridiculous finish to his show. It’s not terrible, but it feels more like a conversation than a standup show and could have used some more work.
OHHHH!! JER-E-MY CORBYN! – Stephen G Titley, 21.25, The Stand, until August 25
https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/ohhhh-jer-e-my-corbyn-stephen-g-titley
