If Monty Python wrote The Meaning Of Life about an Irish woman navigating life and death in her 30s, it might read something like Grace Mulvey’s stand-up. From the gastral consequences of a grief-fuelled potato diet that ends with this Irish comic being hosed down by her mum, to becoming the executor of her father’s will in a Yo! Sushi, the vignettes of Mulvey’s life make for a highly entertaining reflection on the absurdities of death. The narrative is loosely tied to the passing of Mulvey’s three cousins, each from cystic fibrosis, though she quickly glosses over the potential pathos of these losses. Instead, the show veers into tangential observations on Gen Z slang, gender-critical feminists, and the mysteries of tariffs that, though amusing, feel written more for viral clips than for the show as a whole.  

Perhaps Mulvey is worried about keeping her gallows humour just light enough, but she has the stage presence to make anything funny. Her stand-up is at its best when dealing in personal matters, reminding us to always look on the bright side of life, the Irish way: with 53 Hail Marys, a crate of beer and a photoshoot with your grandfather’s corpse. 

Grace Mulvey: Did You Hear We’re All Going To Die?, Assembly George Square, until 24 August, 2.50pm; main picture: Karla Gowlett.