Comedy / Garrett Millerick
‘Angry optimist’ Garrett Millerick brings his acclaimed new stand-up show to the south west
Garrett Millerick is an acclaimed stand-up who consistently earns critic’s choice plaudits from the broadsheet news and entertainment media.
He has also won fans in the U.S, with an appearance Conan (now sadly defunct), and the filming of his latest live show by a major American label in the pipeline, which will be set for worldwide release.
Said show is titled Just Trying to Help, and is the concluding part of Millerick’s Fatherhood trilogy, that began in 2018 with his breakout show, Sunflower – about his wife’s ectopic pregnancy and miscarriage – and continued with Smile the following year.
is needed now More than ever
We find him now with a daughter to raise, and a new set of comedic preoccupations – searching for what he calls “sensible answers to stupid questions”.
Brought up in the 1980s within an Irish immigrant family, religion was a dominant influence in Millerick’s young life.
Photo: Ed Moore
He was baptised, confirmed, served as an altar boy and spent time as a eucharistic minister, but went on to lose his faith in his teenage years.
Though he has never returned to religion, he acknowledges the comfort and security of following rules and knowing your place that is afforded to the devout.
The search for what he calls “a new religion for a new age” is one of the main facets underpinning Millerick’s gut-punching, wrath-fuelled and “devastatingly funny” (Chortle) sermonising on contemporary life.
Photo: Ed Moore
Now touring the UK after sell-out runs at the Edinburgh Fringe 2022 and London’s Soho Theatre, Millerick is visiting The Wardrobe Theatre, Bristol, The Rondo, Bath and Pound Arts, Corsham within a week.
But what does he think of Bristol?
“There are few places in the country where you can walk around some of the most interesting architecture in the country and see fifty year old men skateboarding,” he says. “It’s a great place.
Photo: courtesy of Avalon
“Some of my best friends from school went to university in Bristol and have never really got over having to move away. It’s one of those places that really gets a hold of people and you can see why.
“So much of the country has surrendered to a sort of bland homogeneous state over the last thirty years. And smaller cities are always most at risk of that. Bristol has really resisted that steamroller, and maintained a unique personality.”
Garrett Millerick: Just Trying to Help is at The Wardrobe Theatre on April 14, the Rondo Theatre, Bath on April 15 and Pound Arts Centre, Corsham on March 17. Ticket links to all tour shows are available at www.garrettmillerick.com/gigs.
Main photo: Courtesy of Avalon
Read more: Junior doctor and comedian Michael Akadiri on the medicine of stand-up
Listen to the latest Bristol24/7 Behind the Headlines podcast:
Our top newsletters emailed directly to you
