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Will Owen: Looking Fab at Fifty

 
Paul Fisher Cockburn Review by Paul Fisher Cockburn 3 Published: 8 Aug 2025 Assembly Roxy Show Dates: 30 Jul 2025-24 Aug 2025

Dressed in shirt, tie and shorts – somewhat ironically looking like a schoolboy coming home after sports – Will Owen is really difficult to dislike. In fact, the only real criticism that can be levelled against him after nearly an hour’s worth of engaging comic banter is that his set actually has very little to do with the titular “Looking Fab at Fifty”.

Owen isn't an in-your-face comedian

Mind you, he’s only 26. Most of Owen’s material focuses on how he’s never quite fitted in with the so-called gay scene, once he discovered it, and how, even though Grindr can help him find the man of his dreams, he’ll likely take a dive after the first date.

The unexpected strength of Owen’s set is his audience interaction, despite him seemingly being terrified. On the night of this review, the audience happened to include half a dozen gay men, some of whom were in long-term relationships. Owen seemed genuinely pleased by this turn of fate and ticketing, asking about how they met and how they knew they’d met “the one”. All of which he then went on to use as an effective distorted reflection of his own experiences of dating and relationship building.

Owen isn’t an in-your-face comedian: frankly, the voice and personality which ensured he never had to “come out” to family and friends certainly goes against that. Much of his material is sharply observed and delivered, but equally there’s a sense that he’s still holding back on us. A fault, but one that makes him all the more endearing.

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The Blurb:

26-year-old comedian Will Owen thinks the future looks bright (no further questions). Following his five-star debut, Will seeks to replace the empty gratifications of his forlorn life with the deep profundity of light entertainment. He's gay! He's lonely! But most importantly, he's live! In three, tw... One of 2024's best reviewed shows of the Fringe. Winner: Leicester Square New Comedian of the Year. Tour support for Ania Magliano and Rhys Nicholson. ***** (BroadwayBaby.com). ***** (ThreeWeeks). ***** (Entertainment-Now.com). 'Dazzling' **** (List). 'Hilarious, authentic, in control... gives us what we didn't know we needed' **** (OnTheMic.co.uk).