Review: ANGELA BARNES: ANGST, Leicester Square Theatre

“When you’re not laughing, you’re learning”

Angela Barnes: Angst is Barnes’s opportunity to tell the audience about her life, ranging from the anxiety she’s faced over the years to her time spent learning German. Barnes starts the show with a brief introduction, thanking the audience for coming and doing a few minutes of stand-up before introducing her opening act (which includes one of my favourite quotes from the night, “Unladylike, it boils my piss!”).

She also mentions her live captioner, Claire Hill, who does a wonderful job throughout the show of keeping up with Barnes, making the performance even more accessible to those who are hard of hearing. 

As one might guess from the title, the show delves into the anxiety that Barnes has faced over the years and how it has affected her life in both serious and funny moments. She also discusses other aspects of her personality, including how her synesthesia allows her to see abstract concepts as colours. I would honestly love to hear Barnes give a TED Talk-style speech about this and how it relates to the way she views the world around her. 

One of the most relatable moments in the show is when Barnes discusses relaxing as someone with anxiety, poking fun at baths and meditations. For years, people have asked me why I don’t enjoy doing either of these activities to relax - I hope Barnes releases a clip of this moment from Angst so I can share it with those people!

But it’s not all about anxiety and synesthesia, even though these topics are made funny by Barnes. One great bit of audience interaction comes from when Barnes is discussing the differences between generations and has a conversation with a fourteen-year-old who she refers to throughout the show, telling him how he won’t get the references she makes to things like the Birdseye Potato Waffles jingle. Another moment of crowd work has Barnes speaking in German to a couple, asking them to confirm the statements she’s making about the country and the people who live there. 

A highlight of the show is Barnes telling the story of how she ended up on the show World’s Most Dangerous Roads, where two celebrities take on, as the title suggests, some of the world’s most dangerous roads in a 4x4 vehicle. Barnes was asked to come onto the show by her friend, fellow comedian Rhod Gilbert. It’s a fantastic example of Barnes's storytelling skills and leads to a triumphant ending of "pure feminist rage."

Angela Barnes: Angst is one of those rare and beautiful shows that manages to tackle a serious subject like anxiety and still be absolutely hilarious. Barnes is an amazing storyteller who has the rare ability to turn something like a panic attack into a moment that audiences can both laugh at and reflect on. 

Angela Barnes: Angst tours until December 2025.

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