Review: Sarah Keyworth: Lost Boy

A compelling hour arising from a difficult year

★★★★
comedy review (edinburgh) | Read in About 2 minutes
33462 large
Sarah Keyworth, photo by Matt Crockett
Published 09 Aug 2022

This is not the show that Sarah Keyworth had wanted to perform. But, after a year dominated by coronavirus, grief and the breakdown of their five year relationship, a “silly” show where they were supposed to be carried in by a wrestler just didn’t feel right.

Instead, most of their jokes come from moments of difficulty and upset. They are in sessions with “the cheapest therapist in London”, whose sky high prices make them aware of the cost of every second that ticks by. Their “covid-casualty” break-up has meant they could write a “thesis” in the art of female masturbation. They even started sleeping with their best friend of 10 years. Spoiler, they are now together, but that only means Keyworth has to constantly fight against not being a paedophile for first meeting her when she was 16.

Still, it is as tender as it is amusing. Keyworth speaks fondly of their friend and writing partner, Paul Byrne who passed away last year. He was the funniest person, they tell us – and it certainly seems like they had a blast. To cheer them up in lockdown, he even made an X-rated version of a Where’s Wally puzzle, with a willy hidden instead to find.