Joe Rogan! Jordan Peterson! Men’s Rights Activism! The New Zealand Green Party!
All this and more is covered with a high energy and completely unconcealed rage in Guy Williams’ catchily titled If You Mildly Criticise Me I’ll Say It’s Cancel Culture And Turn To The Alt Right show at the Assembly Studios tonight. You’ve heard of the shows promising an exploration of “feminine rage” this Fringe season; at Guy Williams, expect masculine leftie Kiwi rage (less marketable).
The Taskmaster New Zealand alumnus has been having a pretty insane time as of late, as he discusses with some force over the next hour of cleverly crafted comedy — is he being earnest at all, at any point? Literally impossible to tell. It is riotously entertaining, however: Gary Williams (artist’s father) gets a starring role throughout, as one half of the parents who managed to produce “three comedians”. A sure-fire sign of failure, according to Guy, who plays the audience several voice notes of his father over the hour — all are hilarious, all are baffling, all make for an excellent introduction to a comedian making an impression at his second Edinburgh Fringe show.
If You Mildly Criticise Me I’ll Say It’s Cancel Culture And Turn To The Alt Right’s overarching story is a real-life one involving Williams, his ex-girlfriend, right-wing NZ politician David Seymour, and the aforementioned Gary Williams. It’d have to be explained to you by the man himself to have it make a modicum of sense to your average UK audience member, but rest assured it IS insane.
There’s slightly terrifying but very funny crowdwork throughout, with an audience member professing to be there because of Taskmaster. This sparks a discussion about the alternate career paths of left and right wing comedians — right wing comedians are going on to found political movements, host globally influential figures on their podcasts.
“What are the left-wing comedians doing?”, asks Guy, “Taskmaster.”
Guy Williams: If You Mildly Criticise Me I’ll Say It’s Cancel Culture And Turn To The Alt Right is running until 24 August at Studio Five at Assembly George Square Gardens.
Buy tickets here.
Image provided to The Student by Impatient Productions