While comedians do tend to be introspective types, Scouse ginger woman (her words) Hannah Platt takes self-examination to a new level. This ‘quiet person’ has recently started therapy to better understand what’s going on in her head, and she’s found a lot in there to deal with. She’s refreshingly honest about her struggles with mental health which she explores with frank humour. 

A number of bad experiences with men have prompted her to start dating women and non-binary people; and it’s no wonder, as she details her numerous unpleasant dalliances with ‘scallies’ on the Manchester trams. She remembers (and sometimes deliberately misremembers) these encounters with humour but there’s also an understandable air of menace. Despite all that, this is an upbeat hour; Platt is an interesting new voice and she brings Defence Mechanism to a close with a sweetly positive ending. 

Hannah Platt: Defence Mechanism, Pleasance Courtyard, until 25 August, 8.10pm;main picture: Nicola Grimshaw-Mitchell.