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Janey Godley has been on the comedy circuit for 20 years. Her firebrand sense of humour and no-nonsense attitude with her audience is legendary, and her latest instalment as part of the Free Fringe in Edinburgh is every bit as golden as her last.
Recently, Godley has reached out to a whole new audience through her videos with re-dubbed voiceovers on Twitter, satirising the big political heavyweights of the day.
The voiceover section takes up a huge – almost too big – portion of the show, which Janey herself admits is a bit hit and miss. However, the show varies from day to day in its format, sometimes focussing on stand-up alone, and other times with a heavier voiceover section.
In the voiced-over alternative political reality, Theresa May is now well into her retirement in Torremolinos with big Jeanette, all the Sandras and the soup pot in hand. Though the crowd favourite, and arguably Janey’s best material, comes from Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and US President Donald Trump.
Godley’s Glaswegian branding of politicians has been given a new lease of life in this Fringe show – extending now to promotional videos for Butlins from the 1960s.
Her comedy is relentlessly charged and takes no prisoners. Her socialist values are plain to see and her approach to comedy is rooted in those values – a hugely endearing feature.
Her stand-up material really is second to none. She boasts some of the best one-liners of the Fringe, distilling decades of Glasgow patter and delivering her material in a way that no one else can.
Godley’s acerbic observations ride close to the bone because of their truth. All those years as a landlady in a Glasgow pub means she’s certainly not short of material.
As ever, her show is completely free to attend and filled on a first-come-first-served basis. Many are turned away each day, so early queueing is strongly advised – up to an hour before being guaranteed entry.
Godley on the Fringe at Laughing Horse Counting House (Venue 170) until 25 August
