South African–born, UK-based Kate Pinchuck opens her show not by bounding on stage, but with a wryly inventive recorded airplane announcement. We’re asked to fasten our seatbelts, expect a little turbulence, and note where the emergency exits are. It’s more than just a neat gag — it sets the tone for an hour where Pinchuck is both pilot and in-flight entertainment, steering us through storms of honesty and humour with the calm authority of someone who knows exactly where she’s going. The central question she circles is deceptively simple: does therapy actually work? And Pinchuck has the credentials to explore it. With two psychologist parents and more than a few sessions on her own record, she’s practically been raised on the stuff.

She mines her experiences with killer precision, making her observations feel both deeply personal and universally funny. There are break-ups with therapists who’ve moved practices or even entire countries; the infuriating way therapists guide you toward conclusions you’ve already arrived at; TikTok’s Wild West of self-diagnosis; and sibling rivalries weaponised into full-scale psychological warfare. One routine about clocking which meds you’ll be prescribed by spotting the logo on your therapist’s pen is inspired — sharp, clever, and laugh-out-loud accurate. But Pinchuck is no one-trick pony, and Don’t Panic! isn’t confined to the therapy couch. She describes herself as a drama nerd, and that background bubbles through in witty songs and sharply observed character moments. A brilliant routine about “the big shop” transforms the mundane into absurd comic theatre, while her take on handling a partner’s ex is delivered with a wit so sharp you could cut glass with it. She also folds the audience into the mix, running a semi-workshop where we share our fears. In lesser hands this could feel awkward, but Pinchuck makes it sparkle, turning the moment into something playful, communal, and unexpectedly moving.

It’s good to talk, sure. But it’s even better to laugh — with Pinchuck at the controls. This is comedy with real heart, leaving you with a fresh perspective or two tucked away. A real find: sharp and assured, with the talent and ideas to go a very long way.