Edinburgh Fringe comedy review

If you were one of the many who watched Terry Christian squirm as young people humiliated themselves for a mucky mouthful of fame on The Word 30 years ago, you might be surprised to hear he’s doing stand-up about religion. 

But this is more than a show about the impact of religion and the fear and guilt that instilled: it’s also about growing up working class, why he was selected as a presenter on that era-defining 1990s show and why all three themes are entwined.

Also, it’s not quite comedy. That’s not to say there aren’t a few funny bits in it, but it’s more accurate to describe this as a storytelling show with a few old-school gags thrown in.

The aptly surnamed Christian enters the room dressed as a priest, affecting an Irish accent and fire-and-brimstone demeanour, and the first third of the show is a gripping account of his childhood relationship with the church, the customs and the saints.

The child of Irish immigrants, he grew up in a big family in a poor part of Manchester, and took a lot of what he was taught – about masturbation, for example – seriously. 

On early viewing, this show has issues with pace, and this is largely down to Christian trying to cram too much in. He’s Wrestling with some big themes, and one suspects his struggles to rein himself in prevent him from revealing much of what he intended to – what he learnt from therapy, perhaps. 

It’s clear he wants us to know how uncomfortable certain aspects of The Word made him feel, how he yearned to be valued for his music and broadcasting knowledge, and how he felt like something of a novelty because he didn’t go to public school. (Ironically, the all-boys’ establishment he attended subsequently became fee-paying.)

With good reason, Christian feels underappreciated, and has a wealth of material from which to draw, but doesn’t have the stand-up craft or experience to turn his gripes into comedy. Naked Confessions of a Recovering Catholic is fascinating, though, and you’ll learn a lot.

Review date: 16 Aug 2024
Reviewed by: Ashley Davies
Reviewed at: Stand 5 and 6