James Barr to Bring SORRY I HURT YOUR SON to Newbury's Old Library
The Edinburgh Fringe hit is co-directed by Madeleine Parry, known for Hannah Gadsby's Nanette.
Webby Award-winning comedian James Barr will bring Sorry I Hurt Your Son (Said My Ex To My Mum) to the Old Library in Newbury on Thursday 22 October.
One of the most talked-about comedy shows in the UK right now, this darkly hilarious, genre-defying hour stormed the Edinburgh Fringe with three major award nominations and a place among the Best Reviewed Shows of 2025.
Sorry I Hurt Your Son (Said My Ex To My Mum) is a deeply personal account of James' experience as a survivor of domestic violence. The show maps the emotional steps he went through in a four-year relationship - from minimising and denial to recognition and escape. Using comedy, he exposes the emotional logic that kept him there. The result is a show that tackles domestic abuse and emotional cruelty without ever feeling overwhelming or despairing, landing as both a poignant and life-affirming hour of stand-up comedy.
By speaking out about his experiences, James hopes to give voice to the one in five adults who experience domestic abuse in the UK in their lifetimes. This statistic is even higher for LGBTQ+ people, with reported domestic abuse rates one-third higher for Lesbian and Gay Individuals: 6% in the last year, compared to 4.5% for heterosexuals (Office for National Statistics 2025).
Sorry I Hurt Your Son (Said My Ex To My Mum) is co-directed by Madeleine Parry, director of Hannah Gadsby's Emmy Award-winning Nanette (Netflix Special), and an Australian Directors' Guild award winner. The show has been developed further with feedback from fellow comics and guidance from legendary producer and screenwriter Russell T Davies.
Ahead of James bringing the show around the UK, he will be performing his hour at prestigious international festivals, including Adelaide Fringe and Melbourne International Comedy Festival, as well as a show in Sydney and at London's Soho Theatre.
James Barr comments, "I almost quit comedy after what happened to me. I never imagined telling this story onstage. But performing this show over a hundred times around the world has become one of the most transformative experiences of my life. What began with me crying in a grubby Edinburgh basement has grown into something genuinely life-changing for me and the audience. I'm in my healing era, and I can't wait to share that with as many people as possible as I visit my favourite places in the UK."
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