Rachel Fairburn brings her new show, Vexy Beast, to The Stand in Newcastle on Monday 19th October.
A prolific and hilarious presence on the UK comedy scene in recent years, Fairburn is also renowned for the podcast All Killa No Filla, alongside fellow comedian Kiri Pritchard-McLean. Her talent for penning quality gags has never been a secret, but she truly unlocked another string to her bow with the character comedy of 2025’s Side Eye, a critical smash that was similarly adored by audiences and leaned fully into character comedy.
This new show continues down that path, with new characters aplenty, deliciously vicious topical material and the laser-sharp ability to split sides that long-time fans of Fairburn’s more traditional work will be more than familiar with.
Despite this apparent swerve, punters shouldn’t make the mistake of underestimating Fairburn’s formidable skills as an impressionist. Her diminutive stature has frequently become a source of useful comic metaphor, but it is her exceptionally developed aptitude as a writer and observer that makes these characters thrive.
Fairburn’s flair for ventriloquising personalities is another welcome and deadly tool in her comedic arsenal, while the whole mélange presents a muscular case for multidisciplinary approaches, increasingly common among stand-ups today.
Expect a brave, bold and brilliant turn from one of British comedy’s most distinctive voices. If Side Eye was anything to go by, Vexy Beast should prove another wonderfully weird and wickedly funny night out.
Tickets, priced from £17.50 in advance, are available at thestand.co.uk.
