Ageing isn’t easy, but it can be fun, and Jay Lafferty is out to prove it. After a second run at the Fringe this year with her 2023 hit Bahookie, BBC Breaking The News regular Lafferty is touring the show across the UK, delivering a fresh perspective on what it’s like to grow older, particularly when living under the spotlight. 

The Gourock-born comedian takes her time getting to know the audience before diving into this performance, making the act feel less like a show and more of a conversation. At 100 minutes, Bahookie might be a tad stretched out, with the crowd-work bits dragging on longer than they should, but Lafferty manages to pull you back in every time with sharp insights. Early on, she makes a poignant observation: the thing about getting older is that joy doesn’t come as easy. You have to do things to better yourself, such as getting a life coach, buying diaries and running marathons. Joy becomes something of a Herculean effort, but in her view it’s worth it. 

This sets the tone for her next hour, as Lafferty reflects on how people speak to you changes after a certain age, particularly for women who haven’t quite followed the rules. Never cynical, she brushes off the hurt that may come from these experiences and instead frames the pressures of ageing as opportunities to try outrageous new activities. Bahookie’s highlight, then, is the story of Lafferty joining a pole-dancing class. Peppered with live voice messages from her pole instructor, she has the whole audience in splits while symbolising her broader message: shedding inhibitions, embracing movement and finding joy, no matter how ridiculous it might seem.

Jay Lafferty: Bahookie, Gaiety Theatre, Ayr, Friday 11 October; Macrobert Arts Centre, Stirling, Thursday 17 October; reviewed at Eastwood Park Theatre, Giffnock.