There was a time when comedy double acts dominated the entertainment scene with the likes of Morecambe and Wise or French and Saunders with their shows based on standup, sketches and music. Nowadays, a standup comic can fill huge arenas for two hours with their autobiographical reflections on their lives and observations on society, and audiences go for a cathartic shared experience. These comics test out their material in small intimate venues where they find what works and what doesn’t and fine tune the show and their timing to create five-star entertainment. Paul Macauley and Laura Mugridge have the same ambition to be a comedy double act that achieves these rare five star accolades.

We know this because they tell us from the start and seek out the invited reviewer (not us on this occasion) with a bribe of a glass of red wine and a bag of crisps. They also reveal twenty minutes into the show that what we have seen so far is a teaser for the real show which they have yet to write and wonder how they will fill the remaining hour of scheduled show. It reinforces the sense that this is another work-in-progress show before a bigger tour although the reality appears to be that it is a very long gestation period as it played venues in May 2024! The resulting show is clever at times, poignant at others and sometimes seems to lose focus and direction as if to prove they are still tightening up the running order.

They make a big entrance as ‘Men in Black’ with dark shades and plenty of attitude, trying to look cool, edgy and sexy and proclaiming that they “Don’t Give a Sh*t” while it is pretty obvious that they really do. Indeed, the truth is that Paul is described by friends as loving and centred and Laura as kind and empathetic and by the end, we feel that too. It’s a good start as audiences tend to like the personas of the best comics and can enjoy seeing them playing out of character. They soon prove that they have an excellent comedy relationship, good timing and can play act these own stage personas with great skill. Laura gives a PowerPoint presentation of the meaning of “cool, edgy and sexy” as an introverted nervous speaker and concludes that what really links the three terms is leather. Paul delivers, after some encouragement, a song, ‘One Time’, in the style of an aging Sex Pistol in the full tradition of comedy parody.

As the need to fill time grows, they turn to Improv, perhaps the most edgy element of the show with the dependency on the audience interaction working. We have a search for someone with a tattoo, with only two takers owning up, followed by two sketches involving the selected person set in a bar and a tattoo parlour (they make a point of making it clear that these were not from the ones suggested by the audience!). Then at the end of the show is a prolonged and weaker section as they offer all the audience members a stick-on tattoo of a one-legged flamingo with the words “No sh*t given” underneath. Indeed, the flamingo and the tattoo do provide a linking theme to the second half, but the comedy isn’t as strong, although the execution does reinforce their likability and charm. They end with a pre-recorded video of them enjoying a children’s petting farm to confirm what we already knew, that they do care, want to be liked and just want to have fun.

They may not be cool, edgy and sexy but they are warm hearted, funny and likeable, and have the essence of a good comedy show with an underlying message about being true to yourself and caring, as Laura says in a revealing moment her superpower is “her softness”. What’s more, they are different in style and delivery from many comics on the circuit and it is refreshing to see a show full of comic irony and charming interplay by two talented performers who really do give a sh*t.

With more development of material, higher production values and tighter execution, they really could develop into a five star act.

*** Three stars

Reviewed by: Nick Wayne

Paul and Laura Don’t Give A Sh*t… is next playing at Worcester’s Swan Theatre on 22 February, with further info here.