A debut show at the Fringe is always a tough cookie to crack and Paul Hilleard seems to have found a way to come to this festival and knock on its door with a big loud whack. The room is full, the laughs are non stop whilst also filling the room with bold laughs.
The show begins with a lot of jokes that are quick and to the point which gives you an automatic introduction to the style of comedy that Paul is popular for, short to the point jokes with some punchlines that are to the point and some that slowly develop over the joke.
Topics covered in this show include religion, therapy, people watching and even bus drivers can’t escape. They are observational whilst also making them relevant to everyday situations with the crowds. There is also a narrative section later in the show about open relationships which has a lot of turns that make the comedy surprising at . There are parts of the show that are crude and rude but it works well with the jokes.
The show has some well scripted jokes that make you see things such as the television show Mountain Rescue in a completely different angle that you may not of thought of before which creates a lot of fun.
Grogg is a show named after unique figurines that are made in the comedians hometown of Pontrypridd. This is not covered until about a good twenty minutes into the show and creates a lot of the best jokes of the evening. Delving into family, being Welsh, Tom Jones, the shops of the area and the people. There is a lot of fun in this part and is the height of the hilarity of the show.
The show is a well rounded hour of comedy and is a great first full hour show for the fringe.
Paul has won the 2024 New Comedy Award as well as being a finalist in the Channel 4 Sean Lock Comedy Award 2025 plus many more accolades under his belt. With this being his debut show, I am excited to see what his bright comedic future holds.
Welcome to The Phoenix Remix 
Leave a comment