Glaswegian Susie McCabe has been a regular feature on TV in recent years, thanks to numerous appearances on Have I Got News For You and the late-lamented Frankie Boyle’s New World Order. The latter show, in particular, was a treasure trove of interesting comedians from diverse backgrounds, and McCabe was a genuine stand-out.

In 1980, homosexuality was decriminalised in Scotland. That was the year McCabe was born, and she’s convinced it’s no coincidence. ‘I’m SO lesbian’, she insists, and has an arsenal of stories to back it up. Despite this landmark act, she points out that in the 1980s, homosexuality was ‘the hardest thing in the world’. She details the absurd protestations following the introduction of gay characters in EastEnders; that seemingly innocuous event led to a barrage of homophobic coverage in the tabloids with The Sun notoriously censuring the storyline with an article headlined ‘EastBenders’, written by one Piers Morgan.

She joyfully and infectiously celebrates her life as an outsider, painting a vivid picture of how, as a young girl, she resolutely failed to conform to the behaviour of her peers. And there’s some great material about her career in the construction industry and the way that she used her charismatic guile to navigate potentially awkward encounters. McCabe is a warmly confident and upbeat performer, and it’s a real pleasure to hear her individual take on the world. 

Susie McCabe: Femme Fatality, Assembly George Square Studios, until 27 August, 8.35pm.