Review: Benji Waterhouse – Maddening, Fringe 2025

Dr Benji Waterhouse, an NHS psychiatrist, takes to the stage at the Pleasance Courtyard with his show, Maddening.

With a voice so soothing it feels like a cinematic therapist, he promises to talk you out of anxiety. Instead, he plunges the audience into the chaotic, understaffed, and overworked world of an NHS psychiatrist. This is a show that grapples with deep, important issues, prompting the audience to consider the profound impact of psychiatric care on both patients and the professionals who provide it.

A Powerful Voice, With Provocative Stories

Benji Waterhouse has a voice that is, quite frankly, a movie unto itself. It’s an ASMR voice – the kind that could soothe you into a state of calm. But this show isn’t about calm. It’s a series of captivating and at times unsettling vignettes from his professional life. He shares tales of a patient with schizophrenia who is ordering milk in vast quantities and considering murdering his mother, and another who believes he is a werewolf. The show asks a serious question: how long does it take for the NHS to take direct, and potentially drastic, action in such cases?

There is a powerful moment when Waterhouse polls the audience, asking who believes psychiatrists do more good than harm, and then, conversely, who believes they do more harm than good. The fact that people fell into the latter category, and that Waterhouse acknowledged this openly, speaks volumes about the show’s willingness to confront difficult public perceptions.

Intelligent Comedy, With A Tricky Message

I wouldn’t describe Benji Waterhouse as a traditional comedian. He is more of a clever storyteller. The comedy isn’t in snappy one-liners, but in the intelligent weaving of narrative threads and the occasional gotcha. He is a soother of ears and a weaver of compelling tales. The packed house at the Pleasance absolutely loved it, and it’s easy to see why; the show is an enthralling watch, full of intelligence and comedic skill.

However, the show is not without its controversies. There is a moment when Waterhouse admits to being prescribed antidepressants by his own GP and then deciding not to take them. This raises a tricky question: is this the message we want broadcast from an NHS professional to patients who are struggling with similar decisions? I’ve never had that conversation with the GP. I’m not sure if prescriptions are given to patients in the hope they’ll be taken, but until that point in the show, I thought a key message was “take your meds”.

Maddening is also a heavy message, particularly for anyone contemplating a career in NHS psychiatry – a profession we desperately need more heroes for. The show might give them second thoughts, and that’s a difficult pill to swallow. I certainly will now double down on my belief that we need to invest more in mental health care.

Overall

Maddening is an interesting and deeply important show. It’s a proper, weighty consideration of the realities of modern psychiatry, told by a man who has clearly lived it. The show is packed with intelligent humour, but its core is a serious reflection on the NHS and its mental health services. It is an honest and sometimes uncomfortable journey into a world few get to see, leaving you with much to ponder. Go and check it out, but be prepared for a show that is as deep and thought-provoking as it is entertaining.

Waterhouse’s first book is a bestseller. We can expect a second.