Review: Old Fat F**k Up (Riverside Studios)

Review by Dan Ghigeanu

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Masculinity has never been more of a hot topic than it is right now. Everywhere you look, there is another conversation about what it means to “be a man”, from loudmouthed “alpha” podcasters dishing out dodgy advice to quiet essays celebrating vulnerability and emotional growth. Olly Hawes’ Old Fat F**k Up, now premiering at London’s Riverside Studios, steps boldly into that conversation with both humour and heartbreak. Written and performed by Olly Hawes himself, this one-man show confronts the brittle shell of traditional masculinity, the scars of childhood trauma, and the haunting weight of a single irreversible choice. This is not your average “bloke has a crisis” show. It’s messy, moving, unexpectedly hilarious, and, at times, almost uncomfortably real.

The story centres on a middle-aged dad who’s hanging on by a thread. He’s got two small kids (a four-year-old boy and a two-year-old girl), another baby on the way, money worries, and a growing sense that life is swallowing him whole. He’s introduced to us, somewhat ironically, as “our hero.” But this isn’t a story about heroism, it’s a story about being human and how easy it is to mess things up when you’re doing your best to keep everything from falling apart. Before the story even kicks off, Hawes warms up the audience with a bit of light crowd work, relaxed, cheeky, and instantly likeable. He has that rare performer’s knack of making you feel like you’re just having a chat with a mate at the pub. And then, just as you’re settling into that easy rhythm, he turns it on its head. “This isn’t a real story,” he tells us, “But it could be.” That one-line hits like a punch in the gut. It’s not about him, it’s about anyone. And he’s right.

From there, the story unfolds as a beautifully crafted monologue, packed with warmth, wit, and honesty. Hawes is a phenomenal storyteller. His delivery feels effortless, part stand-up, part confessional, part masterclass in tension-building. You can see every detail in your mind: the run-down car, the boiler that is about to break, the porridge splattered across the floor. And through it all, there’s this simmering feeling that something’s about to break and when it finally does, it’s devastating. Without spoiling the twist, one small moment of frustration spirals into something that changes everything. It’s the kind of scene that makes the air in the room feel heavy, the laughter stops and suddenly you can hear a pin drop. Hawes doesn’t milk it for drama, just lets the silence do the work.

Now, don’t be fooled, yes, Old Fat F**k Up sounds like it should be a rowdy comedy, but this show has layers. There are plenty of laughs, sure (and some properly big ones), but underneath the humour runs a deep, emotional current. Hawes takes aim at toxic masculinity, yes, but also at the quieter pressures of being a man today, the expectation to be the provider, the protector, the “good dad,” the “strong husband.” It’s funny because it’s true, and painful for exactly the same reason. That said, the comedy still absolutely lands. One late scene, which pokes fun at the ridiculousness of social media “influencers” preaching about self-improvement and “Top G” culture, had me in stitches. Occasionally, though, some of the punchlines come a bit too soon, undercutting moments that could have hit harder. But in a way, that feels deliberate, like a reflection of how men often deflect pain with humour. It’s smart, self-aware writing.

Visually, the show keeps things beautifully simple. There’s barely anything on stage apart from Hawes himself, no flashy set, no fancy lighting tricks and it doesn’t need them. The power here is in the storytelling. The simplicity gives his words room to breathe, and by the time the show hits its emotional peak, you realise you’ve been completely drawn into his world without even noticing.

What’s most impressive, though, is Hawes’ performance. He moves seamlessly between the different sides of his character. It’s raw and vulnerable, yet never self-pitying. You believe every word, every hesitation, every nervous laugh. He doesn’t ask the audience to forgive his character, but he quietly makes us understand him and that’s far more powerful.

Old Fat F**k Up doesn’t wrap things up neatly or hand you a moral on a silver platter. Instead, it asks you to sit in the messiness of it all, the guilt, the humour, the humanity. It’s a show about failure, but also about survival, and the idea that maybe messing up isn’t the end of the world, it’s part of what makes us real. At a time when discussions around gender can feel divisive and exhausting, Hawes cuts through the noise with honesty, compassion, and a healthy dose of humour. He reminds us that being a man, or a person, really, doesn’t come with a guidebook, and that sometimes the bravest thing you can do is admit you’ve got it wrong.

Old Fat F**k Up might not be flawless, but that’s kind of the point. Its imperfections are what make it sing. It’s funny, it’s dark, it’s painfully relatable, and it sticks with you. Olly Hawes proves himself to be not just a brilliant storyteller but a voice we’ll be hearing a lot more from.

Old Fat F**k Up plays at Riverside Studios until 20th December. Tickets from https://riversidestudios.co.uk/see-and-do/old-fat-fk-up-202325/