Longstanding Fringe favourite Matt Forde is back for another run at the Fringe with Project Holy Moly, his latest work of political satire and impressions. With Britain welcoming its seventh Prime Minister in a decade, the country’s political turmoil once again provides Forde with plenty of material to work with.
Forde’s impressions and observations were at their sharpest when tackling Andy Burnham, particularly impressive given the quick turnaround required for material about a premiership that was far from guaranteed when Forde was presumably preparing the show. He joked that his carefully honed Keir Starmer material had to be binned off, before turning his attention to Burnham’s TikTok-friendly policies, his claims that Britain remains a country built on steel workers and coal miners, and his new catchphrase about “good growth in every postcode.”
Some of Forde’s impressions could also use further work, particularly those of Kemi Badenoch, Nicola Sturgeon and Zack Polanski. His Trump impression, however, remained a recurring highlight and I particularly enjoyed an imagined interaction between Angela Rayner and Donald Trump, two politicians who couldn’t be more different.
I appreciated the centrist approach to Forde’s political comedy, in the fact that no politician was entirely safe from criticism. He poked fun at the flaws of political leaders across the spectrum, rather than directing his ire towards one particular side. The room was perhaps most restrained when Forde moved into his criticism of Sturgeon and the SNP, but he eventually won the audience around.
Outside the political satire, Forde’s material was noticeably weaker. Anecdotes about erectile dysfunction and difficulties with urination following surgery felt somewhat out of place in what was otherwise a notably clean set.
Overall, Project Holy Moly was a highly enjoyable show and was warmly received by the audience. It is clear that Forde has built up a loyal following, with fans returning to see him perform year after year — a testament to the appeal of his political comedy and commentary. For all the fans of Forde, he is also appearing in a limited run of live episodes of his podcast, The Political Party, throughout the month.
Matt Forde: Project Holy Moly runs until 30 August at Pleasance Beyond. Buy tickets here.
Image Credit — Matt Stronge, provided to The Student by The Pleasance for press use
