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Abnormally Funny People

 
Rebecca Vines Review by Rebecca Vines 4 Published: 25 Aug 2025 Pleasance Courtyard Show Dates: 30 Jul 2025-25 Aug 2025

I bumped into Abnormally Funny People’s producer, Simon Minty, outside the Pleasance Dome during the first weekend of the Fringe. He was as charming as his on-screen persona suggests and chatted about the show he has been bringing to the festival for two decades.

Self-deprecating, outrageous and very funny

Abnormally Funny People showcases an ever-changing roster of comedians with visible and invisible disabilities, and on the showing I attended the strong line-up aptly demonstrated why the show has garnered fans across the years.

The performance I caught was MC’d by Alex Mitchell, with sets from Don Biswas, Harriet Dyer and Lost Voice Guy. Across the board, their material leans into the disabilities that have brought these particular comedians to this particular stage, and this feels important in recognising and normalising conditions which others may either struggle with themselves or struggle to embrace in others. The most familiar situations frequently have the strongest comic hit-rate, and it is a rare treat to have a dedicated hour in which an audience can acknowledge the frustrations and daftness of a world too often treated with kid gloves or ignored completely. An estimated 25% of the UK population is living with disability, and neurodiverse diagnoses are rising with growing acceptance and awareness. So there is no shortage of anecdotes or observations from a community only relatively recently being invited to share their stories in the mainstream.

Not that this is a worthy or mawkish hour. Far from it. It is self-deprecating, outrageous and very funny. Each act of course plays with their own condition, but not to the exclusion of other material. The snappiness of the format ensures an engagingly broad range of comic styles and approaches are platformed throughout.

What Minty and his team have achieved in bringing this show together should not be underestimated, and deserves far broader recognition. In 2025, we are interested in seeing funny comedians at the top of their game who just happen to share a disability. But it has taken real grit and foresight to bring us to this point, and the contribution of shows such as this has helped us all laugh louder and longer. And most importantly, without exclusion.

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The Blurb:

A brilliant mix of stand-up comedy, funny stories, improvisation and music from famous names and rising stars, celebrating 20 years of top-tier disability comedy! Previous performers include Chris McCausland (Strictly), Rosie Jones (Taskmaster) and Liz Carr (Silent Witness). Expect sharp wit, fresh perspectives and guaranteed laughs from a changing line-up of the world's funniest disabled comedians. 'A uniquely hilarious experience... The entire room rocks with laughter.' **** (Scotsman). 'This is an excellent night of entertainment, enjoyed by people of all abilities.' **** (ThreeWeeks). '... all the acts were good and some exceptional.' (Bruce Dessau). Line-ups: AFP-Listings.com