Review: Josephine Lacey – Autism Mama, Fringe 2024

I’ve been surrounded by people with autism most of my adult life, but I’m not a parent and was taken aback at what Josephine Lacey had to do.

Josephine is a London mum of three, has Jamaican and Irish ancestry, and is an excellent communicator.

There’s a bit at the end of the show where Josephine shares that she once apologised to a woman in the audience because her show didn’t offer up how-to and instructions. I disagree. Even if you don’t pick up a technique or a new tool from the gig, you, like me, might feel validated that someone else uses the same methods. You’ll see a mindset and conversation style worthy of emulation – I recognise the telltale signs of someone with lots of practice reassuring someone with autism. I think you’ll find hope.

Josephine’s young son is a young man who has autism and a sensory condition that disciplines him from wearing clothes. The whole show is about how she copes and how she helps him with his sexual awakening. It’s not sexual. It’s puberty with complications.

There are scenes of a sexual nature and audience participation. We had a real hero holding the picture cards today.

Tone

Adult in the sense of mature and clinical. However, since it’s a 14+ show, we’re also treated to adults in a not-for-children way.

You just have to keep up as Josephine Lacey drills home that she’s just looking after her son and then cracks a dirty joke. Don’t worry; it’s easy enough to do, even if it’s an unusual situation.

Educational moments, and there are plenty, also become outrageous jokes that, weirdly, don’t belittle the importance of the lesson. Equally, a clinical observation might flip into a joke when you weren’t expecting it. I’ve never sat through, for example, so much material on the volume of ejaculate from a family member and the expectations that might set.

Josephine Lacey does not pull any punches, nor does she punch down. There’s no cruelty here, just a determined woman.

What to expect

Josephine Lacey: Autism Mama is a stand-up routine with pictures and other visual aids.

Given the explicit nature of the story, I think the gig would absolutely not be one I took my own mum to. There were no 14 year olds in the audience but I imagine they might have been squirming with cringe on their seats if they were there with their parents but it might still have been a good act for them to struggle through.

Austim Mama is in Bunker Three around the back of the Pleasance. I remember queuing for the Pleasance Grand in previous years, watching as the next keg of beer was rolled out from these arched values, but now they’re venues. They’re not terrible venues, but if you’re scared of the dark, then give them a miss.

Expect a bit of audience participation, but with one notable exception, these are mainly in the form of a bit of banter or asides. I think on one occasion, a guy in the front row had a small dick joke made at his expense, but that was the worst of it.

Overall

I had a bit of a rollercoaster ride with Josephine Lacey: Autism Mama. I was excited to begin with, but when the penny dropped and I understood the story we were about to be told, my heart sank.

It’s good news as Josephine had won me back around in no time, and I was laughing emotionally with the rest of the audience. I had a good seat (for bloomin’ once) and could see just how much certain audience members (mainly mums) laughed.

Josephine might join her audience in the bunker as a stranger, but after sharing such an open, honest, funny, and emotional story, there is what feels like a real bond.

Good comedian. Great mum.