North Tyneside stand up Kerris Gibson, as part of Newcastle Stand’s New Direction season premiers a new hour show. The stage is set out like a low-key backstage comedy venue. Kerris is having 99 problems – technology is against her, the warm-up act has bailed at the last minute, and the venue staff are being prickly. Add to that the chaos of family, toxic boyfriends, dating apps – things are building up, the voices in her head are getting louder, and the clock is ticking.

The cracked-actor/artist setup isn’t anything new, and it can be a clunky template for lesser mortals to navigate. But after ten minutes you’re settled in and comfortable in the space. What helps is that this isn’t a stroppy diva “do you know who I think I am?” rant. You relate to the everyday issues she’s facing. You sympathise with the fact that she’s not just sweating the small stuff — the water is rising, and she’s in real danger of drowning.

In between the chaos, the self-reflective segments — or, as she calls it, a “carousel of regret” are a joy. Her take on anxiety and self-deprecating body fears is encapsulated perfectly in the brilliant bra-fitting-cum-sado-masochist-fetish discovery. And her material on keeping her Geordie identity in London is a highlight, going down especially well with the home end.

Kerris does what all good artists should do to maximise results: she writes what she knows, because dishonesty or fakeness would be sniffed out a mile off. She may be on virgin territory with this setup, but she’s not out of her depth, and she shines like a renaissance performer. Simply put, she’s a very good stand-up comedian — but tonight, at points, especially when dealing with the darker issues, she is absolutely devastating.The Stand Newcastle continues to champion new voices, and Kerris shows precisely why the high standard of Northern female comedians is not only on the rise — it matters.

 ****

Reviewed by Steve H