one4review | On 01, Aug 2025

Irish gallows humour for the beaten generation.

Grace Mulvey blends millennial existential dread with stand-up that never feels preachy or performative — a rare feat in the age of overshare comedy. She bounds onstage like a warm hug in good shoes, opens with the obligatory crowd chat, and within minutes, you feel safe. The sort of person your mum would say “seems nice” over a cup of tea — right up until she casually asks if you’ve been to any good funerals lately.

The first half is classic slow-burn Fringe gold — light-footed and charming — a whirl through dating hypocrisies, food guilt, men in groups, and, crucially, a Game of Thrones conspiracy theory that’s worth the ticket price alone. So far, so Fringe.

And then comes the turn.

About halfway through, the show pivots — softly, smartly — into a deeper gear. Mulvey starts to unpick her strange but sincere fascination with funerals. Her delivery is breathless, delighted, almost manic — like someone showing you their perfectly alphabetised emotional trauma drawer. From deathbed etiquette and grief tourism to a haunting-yet-hilarious flight panic story, it’s an unexpected riot. Somewhere in the mix, she drops a line about astrology that’s a strong contender for joke of the Fringe.

Her writing is razor-sharp yet economical, packed with pop-cultural breadcrumbs and sudden emotional landmines. It’s like if Greta Gerwig got stuck in a Dublin Lidl, met Aisling Bea and Graham Norton by the chilled meats, and decided to turn the experience into an hour of stand-up.

The crowd adored her — how could they not? She’s relatable without pandering, sharp without sneering, and finds catharsis not in confession, but in connection. By the time she’s riffing on family funerals, you’re in the palm of her hand, laughing at things you probably shouldn’t — and grateful for it.

Grace Mulvey isn’t just one of Ireland’s rising comedy stars. On this form, not only is she taking the world by storm — she’s driving the bus, DJing the playlist, and starting the conga line.

****
Reviewed by Steve H
Assembly George Square – The Crate
14.50 (1hr)
Until 24 Aug (not 11)