With a coffin full of sympathy snacks, Jack Rooke and his 85-year old nan Sicely invite you to the happiest town in Britain, where Dad’s dead and the only thing to eat is lasagne.
Celebrating finding happiness after tragedy, Rooke’s critically acclaimed debut blends comedy, storytelling and film to explore how we treat the bereaved and the state of welfare for grieving families.
Another compelling production from Soho Theatre: London’s most vibrant venue for new theatre, comedy and cabaret, now developing and touring work across the UK and beyond.
Nominated for Best Show by an Emerging Artist – Total Theatre Awards 2015
Commissioned by BBC Comedy for Radio 4
“Don’t be put off by the subject matter… A warm and sincere show… An inspiring, refreshing, and very funny hour of comedy.” – Audience Bulldog
“The light approach and emphasis on the mundane reality of the grieving process ensures that Good Grief avoids sentimentality and makes the show a moving, if hardly conventional, look at a grim subject.” – Manchester Theatre Awards
“An exploration into death in an extraordinary heartfelt and humorous way… A tender contribution to the circle of life teamed with a lot of funny anecdotes.” – Mancunian Matters
★★★★ “Is a welcome antidote to those who mindlessly promote the stiff upper lip approach to dealing with mental health issues.” – North West End
“It would be wrong to over-emphasise the poignancy of the show… It is continually leavened by the nature of Jack’s personality, presentational style and humour. The result is that the whole thing actually feels very up-beat and fun – a considerable achievement, given the subject-matter.” Unrestricted Views
“Jack Rooke demonstrates that he might just have found himself in a very special performance niche as Britain’s top Awkwardness Smasher.” The Greater Manchester Reviewer
“Good Grief is cathartic for everyone in the audience. It allows us to let out a sigh of relief and laugh about that guaranteed fact of life: death… Jack Rooke has well and truly turned the light on – Performance in Motion
“Engaging, frank and humorous.” – The New York Times
“Absolutely hilarious.” – Broadway Baby
“Good Grief wins you over with openness and hilarity.” – Lyn Gardner, The Guardian
★★★★★ “A mesmerising whirlpool of cleverly-written, tenderly shocking and awfully funny anecdotes.” – Gay Times
★★★★ “Rooke is a delight to spend an hour with, cheerily but sensitively tackling the most painful of subjects and finding hope in them.” – The Scotsman