REVIEW: Vittorio Angelone: you can’t Say Nothing any more, EdFringe 2025 ★★

As I walked towards the venue I was met with protestors holding signs and telling the crowds to boycott Vittorio, setting me up for a show by creating a vibe that was at best, confusing, at worst, uncomfortable. I would say it wasn’t the ideal warm up for a comedy show.

The show opened with a 5 minute rather controversial ‘bit section’, which while not inherently harmful, felt to be in quite poor taste, and though there were some funny moments within, a lot of his comedy consisted of punching down in the name of sarcasm.

As someone not yet born during The Troubles, nor someone with direct experience of Ireland, I’m probably less educated than I should be on much of the subject matter, and found Vittorio’s family stories and experiences about The Troubles engaging, even if they were not necessarily directly related to the humour-led sections.

Vittorio’s heart was in the right place when he spoke about political issues, and I appreciate him for the work he has done to raise money for Medical Aid for Palestine. He also had an incredibly interesting bit about performative activism, which I agreed with, though I do believe that being vocal is incredibly important, especially if you have a platform.

At the beginning of the show, we’re greeted with music from the Irish band CÚIG, which was very enjoyable even if jarring from the protest outside. The show ended with the band coming back to play out and, maybe this wasn’t the show for me, but I do think their music was one of the best elements.

This review wouldn’t be complete without mentioning Vittorio’s bit about reviewers, where he said comedy reviewers don’t understand subtext and that’s why they give him bad reviews, to which I say, Vittorio, I understand your subtext, I just unfortunately didn’t find it funny.

Recommended Drink: Pair this with a Guinness, as if you’re at the pub listening to Vittorio’s stories.

You can catch Vittorio Angelone: you can’t Say Nothing any more until August 24th (not the 12th) at various venues and various times (60mins). Tickets are available through the EdFringe Online Box Office.