one4review | On 21, Aug 2025

Canadian comic Kate Hammer is holding court. The crowd is packed in like it’s Sunday service, and what follows has a kind of biblical sprawl — not in tone, but in scope. There’s a lot of ground to cover, and after only a minute it’s clear she’s preaching to the converted. And it’s glorious.
At its heart, Government Approved Comedian is about the hoops she’s had to jump through to secure her visa. The limitations, restrictions, and absurdities of the process are surprising enough — and Hammer milks them for comedy gold. But the journey expands well beyond bureaucracy: along the way we meet mafia dons lurking on Vinted, the erotic allure of a washing machine’s spin cycle, the challenge of uprooting to Glasgow (seriously, is there any comic at this Fringe who hasn’t?), and a dating life she describes as pansexual. That undersells it slightly: her material feels more “retro-sexual” — attractive in how deeply she mines the humour from every situation.
The writing is sharp, and in delivery she calls to mind Desiree Burch’s mix of power and play, with the structural precision of Joan Rivers. Hammer paces her set with the poise of someone who knows exactly how to land a line, whether it’s a quick barb or a slow-burn anecdote. She’s delightful on stage — audience-friendly, personable, and utterly relatable to a crowd as mixed as her material.
This is, of course, a WIP, and a few sections are still finding their shape. Some routines lean more on her sheer charisma than polished structure. But if anything, that only highlights her main weapon: herself. Hammer is the engine that keeps the night rolling.
Right now the show feels like a trailer to a feature film. Once she irons out the kinks and threads the material into a tighter arc, she’ll have something truly special on her hands. For now, it’s a spirited, funny, and engaging hour that points toward bigger things to come.
Book early for next year — if this is the work-in-progress, the finished version will be a cracker.

***1/2
Reviewed by Steve H
Monkey Barrel – Tron
Time 19.15
Until date 20th Aug