Jordan Brookes is bringing his eighth solo show, The Part of You That’s Always Screaming, back to the stage, a performance inspired by an unsettling moment that occurred during a routine train journey. The comedian, celebrated for his physically expressive and often surreal approach to comedy, describes the show as an exploration of an ordinary yet deeply uncomfortable experience—one he stretches to its absurd limits over an hour-long set.
The Edinburgh Comedy Award winner has cultivated a public persona known for sharp wit and confrontational humor, though he admits his offstage self is far more reserved. “Off stage, I’m quite introverted and selective with who I let in,” he said. His self-described “social battery” leaves little room for trivial conversation, yet his stage presence thrives on the opposite—raw, unfiltered, and deliberately bold.
The new show follows a period Brookes has described as a “residency at the gates of Hell,” a metaphor for the creative and personal struggles that precede any major project. For The Part of You That’s Always Screaming, he draws from an incident that feels mundane yet brims with tension: an experience on public transport that becomes the foundation for humor and deeper reflection. “It’s about an absolutely shocking incident I experienced on a train,” he explains.
Read Also: Bullying, Anxiety Drive School Absences in Bristol
Brookes’ method aligns with his past work, where he transforms everyday scenarios into surreal, often unsettling territory. Previous performances have earned praise for blending absurdity with emotional weight, and this show continues that tradition. The title itself reflects the duality of his approach, laughter as both release and acknowledgment of the unease beneath it.
The UK premiere of the show will take place at The Wardrobe Theatre in Bristol on November 5, a venue Brookes has repeatedly praised. The timing, coinciding with Bonfire Night, adds an ironic layer, given the show’s themes of tension and catharsis. Tickets are available through the theatre’s website, while updates for fans will appear on Brookes’ social media (@jordanbrookescomedy).
His decision to center the show on a personal yet ordinary incident reflects a broader shift in stand-up comedy, where performers increasingly mine their own experiences to create work that feels intimate yet universally resonant. While Brookes’ humor often leans into the absurd, the foundation remains rooted in reality, a contrast that has defined his career and set him apart in a crowded field.
Read Also: Hay Festival Winter Weekend returns with talks and performances
The process of refining the material has been as much about self-examination as joke-writing. The unpredictability of live comedy, combined with his ability to raise the mundane, ensures each show feels like a fresh experiment, one that challenges both performer and audience.
Brookes’ career has been marked by steady growth and artistic evolution, from his early wins at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards to his current touring schedule. The Part of You That’s Always Screaming is not merely another entry in his catalog but a deliberate return to the themes that have always defined his work, the interplay between vulnerability and humor, the fine line between comfort and discomfort.