Lucy Beaumont thrives on stage as she shares Jon Richardson divorce update with fans-Kitty Chrisp-Entertainment – Metro

Lucy Beaumont’s show The Trouble and Strife provides all the laughs (Picture: Rowben Lantion/BAFTA via Getty Images)

Lucy Beaumont took to the stage in London’s Bloomsbury Theatre last night to do a show titled The Trouble and Strife, which – now somewhat ironically – is rhyming slang for wife. Eek. 

‘I didn’t have time to change the show,’ the 40-year-old stand-up comedian quipped, with her toe-shuffling, apologetic persona shining through the drama. 

The Meet the Richardsons star is, of course, referring to her very public divorce announcement from fellow comic Jon Richardson after nine years of marriage, which came just over a week ago. 

For those unfamiliar with the Richardsons, Jon is a well-known former 8 Out Of Ten Cats captain and general TV panel show proficient, while Lucy is an extremely successful actor, TV writer (she wrote Meet the Richardsons, Hullraisers) and stand-up comedian – thank you very much. 

The Trouble and Strife’s show description makes this abundantly clear.

‘Award-winning stand-up comedian BEFORE she met Jon Richardson, Live at the Apollo & Taskmater star and BAFTA nominee Lucy Beaumont…’ it reads.

This is Lucy’s time. 

Lucy won the Edinburgh Fringe’s best newcomer award in 2014(Picture: Karwai Tang/WireImage)

Jon and Lucy split last year but announced their divorce via a statement a week ago(Picture: UKTV/James_Stack)

Getting the headlines out of the way, the Hullraisers star explained how she and Jon separated ‘last year’ but they went public with it because a news publication allegedly ‘found out’. 

‘We’re friends,’ she added, concluding: ‘It’s the best for everybody.’ 

Her only other reference to the divorce came via a story, courtesy of their seven-year-old daughter, who told lovably chaotic Lucy not to burn sage in the living room because ‘Dad will disappear’. 

In the next hour, Lucy slam dunks the misogyny that drove her off stage a decade ago through deft gags about her Hull roots, the bizarre consequences of her growing fame, and how bottomless brunches are going to ‘kill women’. 

Perhaps channelling her surprising – and often satisfyingly inappropriate – anecdotes, audience members slipped out rogue comments throughout the evening, setting a rowdy tone.

An overly self-assured American woman declared that she thought Greggs was disgusting. That didn’t go down well with the largely northern audience; especially the middle-aged blokes, who chuckled along to Lucy’s gags like they were coming from their mate down the pub.

Lucy is touring her show around the UK in the autumn

The comedian has previously said misogyny prevented her from taking to the stage again (Picture: Brian J Ritchie/Hotsauce/REX/Shutterstock)

‘You’re not doing yourself any favours,’ the people’s princess Lucy responded, as the audience shook their heads in agreement.

She could probably say the most cancellable thing ever uttered on stage and the audience would still root for her, comforted by her sheepish delivery and natural warmth many stilted male comics could only dream of possessing.

Lucy doesn’t need to revolve her set around misogyny to beat it: all she needs is that skittish persona, her unhinged observations, and stories about life.

Her nervy persona isn’t constricting Lucy – as some critics have suggested – but she’s creating humour through it.

Even if Lucy does use her character to mask real nerves and insecurities on stage, that doesn’t matter: if she sparks a collective cackle a half-minute, then what more do we want from her?

Nervous stand-up comedians spiral audiences into uncomfortable territory, and kill any potential for laughs. But Lucy, talking as if she’s confessing a series of embarrassing crimes (which she kind of is), makes her audiences feel safe. 

The quality of Lucy’s anecdotes propel the show on – unusual things just happen to Lucy – a crow landing on her head and trying to pick her up like a vending machine item, and when mumsy Lorraine Kelly told her a piece of Saltburn trivia seconds before going on air: ‘Did you know it was his idea to stick his c**k in the mud?’ 

Welcome to a colourful, bizarre journey into the brain of Lucy Beaumont. We’re not interested in tragicomedy routines here, just laughs. And that’s what we got.

The Trouble and Strife is touring the UK this autumn, with tickets available via her website.

Got a story?

If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.

Entertainment – MetroRead More