He who makes a bee-ast of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man.
Keep it Fringe 2023 Award Winner Stephen Catling brings us a surrealist comedy escapade in his debut hour. Meet a panda game show host, dog priest and a stand-up crab as Stephen takes us on a journey through a series of weird and wonderful sketches that both celebrate and reflect on being a neurodivergent adult.
One of the circuit’s most up-and-coming and unique performers, Stephen explores his time working in both big and small organizations (including animal research, NHS and an industrial bakery), the struggles he has gone through as an autistic and the impact it had on him. In a weird, wonderful and highly personal show, a world society doesn’t yet fully understand, or often accept is explored.
The show is a comedy but could not be described as straight stand-up, the use of music, audio cues, costumes, props, clowning and the interaction in the show brings a heavy emotional and immersive experience which has been designed and developed to be appreciated by neurotypical and neurodivergent minds alike. Further the show is focusing not just talking about these issues and experiences but showing.
The show was a smash hit at the Edinburgh Fringe 2023 among critics and audiences alike and nominated for both the prestigious Malcom Hardee award for comic originality and the actually autistic excellence award along with being recommended by the British comedy guide as one of the festivals must see shows. The show was also one of the fifty recipients of the Keep it fringe award which was founded in 2023 by honorary president of the Fringe Phoebe Waller-Bridge.
Stephen brings the award winning show to Leicester as part of the 2025 Leicester Comedy Festival performing at The Sound House on Sunday 9th February as well as his new show Moving On… really really slowly on Saturday 15th February at Grays @ LCB Depot.
Ahead of this we caught up with Stephen to learn more.
What can you tell me about your show?
So the first show Beehavioural problems something something autism which is my award winning and multi-award nominated is about the difficulties i have had as a man with autism within the workplace and society as well as doing various animal themed routines because of the dehumanising element of that experience.
The new show "moving on...really really slowly" is while do touch on autism is more focused on mental health as a result of relationship and the difficulties of pushing forward with those burdens in my relationships with family, friends, society and love again i will be doing animal themed routines but also doing a exorcism on myself.
What inspired you to write this show?
Beehavioural problems was mainly inspired by the ableism that I encountered within the workplace, two places that come to mind quite strongly though for legal reasons I would not be able to name either. I wanted to address the struggle of autism but in my own absurdist way (most shows on autism tend to be more observational or anecdotal).
The other show was inspired by disappointment in the several areas of my life that exacerbated my depression at various points in my life and my battle with that. I wanted to make a show where the focus this time was not on autism but depression and mental health (a larger and bigger issue in society and my life).
I think it might have been partially inspired by because a local newspaper at a really big gig I was doing said how I would be bring my worldview of being autistic and the struggles in the workplace which is an absolute far cry from what I focus on in comedy clubs (I certainly will touch on such topics in some material but my focus was never predominantly on autism and I disliked being labeled or portrayed as such).
When i write my solo shows it starts with the first few previews focusing on making sure that as much as the show is entertaining and funny first which i consider just as important as the structure and thematic through line of a show because once I have the core of the show being high quality laughs I then feel I can permit myself to be vulnerable on stage.
How important is it that comedy deals with topics such as autism but in a sensitive way?
With autism specifically it is a vary wide and diverse spectrum and I feel there is a need to portray accurately while there are overlaps in peoples experience many different people who are put under the same umbrella will have vastly different experiences because of the conditions manifests and alot of media (even modern media) has a tendency to simplify such conditions and worse (in the case of autism) infantilize, romanticize and fetishize it.
I think this sensitivity is very important as it is easy to fall into the traps of oversimplifications or reductionisms that can be quite harmful to the autistic community. Even today there are people who's understanding of autism is rain man (a very very niche form of the condition) and the last thing I want to do is or see is the reinforcing harmful stereotypes. Comedy can be used as a tool for many marginalised communities to have a voice that society may not otherwise let them have and thus can be a very powerful tool in improving the bridge between communities.
Where did your comedy career begin?
A long time ago at Lancaster university I joined the Lancaster comedy institute and that is techniquely where my comedy journey began though it was not till I moved to London that i started performing regularly.
Who are your comedy heroes?
At my very core and heart I am a Python and I believe that Monty Python are still my heroes for their work but I have many people who i could describe as my heroes Elf Lyons, Andrew O'Neill and Jordan Brooks but I am also drawn by many famous comics including Patton Oswalt, Maria Bamford or Bill Bailey (I will limit myself to this for now otherwise I am going to write an extensive list)
What gives you inspiration?
Inspiration can come in many flavours, sometimes what will inspire me will be various absurd ideas and then I am pulled to take these to their logical but even more absurd conclusion for example I was inspired to make a routine where I am a dog bishop because when I put the mask on my head in a certain way, it resembled a bishops mitre and as a long-time former catholic I had to do dog holy communion.
Other times it comes with some genuine frustration in the world like when Sia defended herself because she did not hire an autistic actor to play an autistic character in her film was because she did not feel an autistic person would not have handled the role.
Where can audiences see the show?
Beehavioural problems something something autism
Dates: 9 February 2025
Time: 18:00
Venue: The Soundhouse - Main Room
You can see Moving on... really really slowly
Dates: 15 February 2025
Time: 19:50
You can follow Stephen on the following social media platforms:
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