one4review | On 16, Aug 2026

As the title might suggest Leo Hincks gets emotional. In fact there are an array of emotions on show here, and he is dressed like a cowboy, minus the hat. We are reminded that Leo is twenty two years old, a theatre kid and grew up being obsessed by pop culture. He has never quite recovered from losing the Chortle Student Comedy Award, oh but he did make the final.

The lines are blurred between Leo and his alter ego, Leo. Their background story is remarkably similar. The show gets off to an energetic exciting start as Leo bounds from the back of the venue to the stage. The energy dips quite quickly as Leo breaks character and announces that this could be the end of the show. There is a clever use of a recorded voice which is suggesting what the audience are thinking. It’s mainly negative feedback and comments. This fuels Leo’s insecurities and we witness a breakdown of sorts, this includes Leo taking a potion (aka The Substance) which extracts all of his pop culture in an attempt to free himself of his past. This is not a stand up show but a comedy performance piece. It is brilliantly acted out and performed. It does, however, lack structure and as Leo himself points out; the fourth wall in performance is broken as he breaks character throughout.

Essentially Leo covets success and fame but constantly doubts himself. He desperately wants to leave his mark on the world and be a part of pop culture but fears that he will never make it to Graham Norton’s sofa.

This is an impressive debut and Leo is an amazing performer. The show may lack structure but does offer the audience a unique experience.

***
Reviewed by Margot
Until August 31st at 15:50
The Gilded Balloon (Turret)