This powerful debut hour from Bee Babylon is sure to gain traction. The Icelandic-born, Scotland-based comedian grew up a hypochondriac. As someone who was semi-regularly convinced that she had cancer, she was unsurprised to hear of her stage 2 cervical tumour in 2021.

Babylon survived horrific radiotherapy treatment and bitchy hospital cliques (the breast cancer patients are the popular girls, obviously). After getting rid of the tumour (which she named Russell), she re-emerged into the world as the only cancer survivor who refuses to run a marathon. Making sly pokes at the NHS and male doctors, the stand-up delivers dry jokes in her Icelandic accent with a straight face and keeps the crowd’s energy up for her full hour. 

At times, Babylon ditches the anecdotes for long-winded and imaginary scenarios (her untimely death in the supermarket ketchup aisle, for example) which continue until her audience erupts into laughter. Also, she wants us to know that, yes, they do have Eric Clapton in Iceland. Cancer Culture is a strong debut that’s sure to shoot the comic to further success. 

Bee Babylon: Cancer Culture, The Stand 4, until 27 August, 5.25pm.