Review: LIAM WITHNAIL: BIG STRONG BOY, Soho Theatre

“Am I happy?”

Liam Withnail: Big Strong Boy is an hour of comedy that has Withnail aiming to answer an important question about his life - is he happy? The show is inspired by a conversation that the comedian had with a friend when they were catching up, with the friend asking Withnail if they were happy living in Edinburgh after leaving his hometown of Dagenham. Withnail learned about the “Four Pillars of Happiness” - health, purpose, location and relationships - and has shaped the show around these four aspects of his life, using the hour to discover if he truly is happy. 

According to a survey, Dagenham is the second most unhappy place to live in the UK, and Withnail is certainly aware of that. It may be a little gentrified based on the fact that a Costa Coffee machine has been added to the supermarket, but it’s still a place in which Withnail can get heckled by strangers for being gay (even if he’s not - just a fan of The Pigeon Detectives). He admits to struggling with his mental health, to the point in which he left everything behind to go to Edinburgh at the age of eighteen - though you’ll have to see the show to get the full story. 

The first subject? The important pillar of health, which begins with a personal trainer sliding into his DMs, offering his services to Withnail. Even though he agreed to work with him, Withnail has some regrets, including adding the personal trainer on WhatsApp and receiving daily messages like, “Are you ready to smash the day?” And multiple strength-related emojis. This segment also has a very relatable bit about hating the My Fitness Pal app and its calorie-tracking, as well as a bit about the masculinity of Grenade protein bars - even with flavours like birthday cake!

Next up is purpose, which Withnail uses to discuss his career in comedy. He claims that he’s lucky as his hobby that brings him joy is also his job, but there are some aspects that have not brought him as much happiness as he would like. Withnail misses the earlier days of stand-up comedy, mourning the loss of a time when he wasn’t having to constantly edit and upload clips on social media in order to gain traction. This leads to a hilarious bit about teaching boomer parents how to use technology, which has a great impression of his Irish dad in a rage. He also brings up his job at Homebase that he got at the age of eighteen to save up for drama school, though his first love gets in the way of that. 

The show does get a little darker when it comes to the subject of Withnail’s location, in which he goes into detail about how he ended up living in Edinburgh. There are some subjects that are difficult to joke about, including alcoholism and suicidal ideation, but Withnail does a great job of balancing the serious and the silly, particularly when it comes to moments from his own life. This segment of the show is the highlight, as it allows Withanil to fully express himself and explain how he got to where he is today. There is only a brief section on relationships, but it is a sweet way to end the show and somehow manages to tie the whole set together with a sweet reveal. 

Withnail doesn’t do much crowdwork throughout the show, only talking to a few international audience members at the start of the show, warning them that the show is very British - not to worry, he’ll explain the references if needed. There is a bit of a technical accident when Withnail says a line, and there is a complete blackout - turns out the line is brought up again later in the show, and the tech accidentally pressed the cue the first time the line is said. Withnail is a bit frustrated and does spend a bit too much time making jokes at the tech’s expense before moving on, though it does lead to them receiving a large amount of applause at the end of the show. 

Ultimately, Liam Withnail: Big Strong Boy is a show that manages to be both about finding happiness in life and one of the lowest points in the comedian’s life. Withnail is an incredibly talented comedian who has a special ability to talk about his trauma and still allow the audience to laugh, making for a hilarious and heartfelt hour. 

Liam Withnail: Big Strong Boy ran from 6 - 8 November at Soho Theatre.