EDINBURGH 2016 - Review: ANDREA HUBERT WEEK, Gilded Balloon, 14 August

The title of Week is a bit of a play on words, as the show is about Andrea Hubert's first week on medication for her mental health issues, but also about her original attitude that taking pills make you weak. After years of being misdiagnosed by her mother, Hubert had a breakdown in Waitrose. This particular episode led to her finally accepting medication and, after a difficult week, feeling much more positive by the end of it.

You are asked on your way in to write down one nice thing that you've done for someone recently and I was filled with dread at the idea that this was one of those overly optimistic, sickly-sweet comedy shows. Luckily, the submissions are used in a far more interesting way!

It's not unusual for comedy to go to dark places, but Week is a particularly dark show. While Hubert generally tries to keep the tone light with anecdotes, the themes of depression and self-harm are very strong.

However, Hubert admits that "grotesquely personal" attitude to comedy is all she really can do, as her mental health means she isn't suited to observational comedy. It's hard to find something that everyone else will identify with, because she isn't sure what is so called "normal behaviour".

Week is an honest account of living with mental health problems and, while the jokes are a little hit or miss, it is definitely worth a watch.

Andrea Hubert: Week runs at the Gilded Balloon Counting House until 29 August.

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