What a remarkable ascent up the greasy pole of comedy success Sarah Keyworth has achieved over the last couple of years! It was only last September that we saw them at the Charles Bradlaugh pub in Northampton. Now they are taking their successful Edinburgh show on tour around the country, including a sold-out date at the London Palladium next February! That’s some achievement, and fully deserved for what must be one of the most assured comedians on the scene.

But first, our support act was Louise Atkinson, a bright and boisterous stage presence who grabs our attention from the start. Instantly likeable, she blames her behaviour on the fact that she lives by herself and so needs to talk to people whenever she can. She engaged the services of front row ex-policeman Stuart to alert her when she might trip over her microphone wire or potentially split her trousers; he was to shout Bollock! if it was to happen; she didn’t, but he did. She describes herself as the Yorkshire Shakira – it’s all in the hips – and has some brilliant material about the way people look, and much more besides. She offered us an alternative ending to her show – we opted for a mind blowing way of showing passive aggression in a text. Very funny throughout, we’d look to see her doing a full show if the opportunity arises!

As soon as Sarah Keyworth walks out on stage, you know you’re in for a good time, because they’re just so amazingly reassuring to the audience. They were obviously very well brought up in a very nice family, because their innate politeness just shines through, both in the pre-prepared material and any off-the-cuff interaction with the audience. If they talk to you, it’s always thank you for coming and lovely to meet you and it is a genuinely welcoming feeling; you never get the sense that it’s put on just for the show. That makes their brilliant routine about the pitfalls of managing a lesbian foursome even more hilarious, because you can just imagine them trying to be the perfect host, making sure everyone has all their needs attended to.

At the heart of My Eyes Are Up Here is the story of the elective surgery that Sarah Keyworth had last year to have a double mastectomy. This is never something that anyone would undertake lightly. It seems that ever since they were a child, Sarah has rebelled against anything girly, including wearing the horrible dress that constituted their first school uniform. Their hero – as far as an ideal body look was concerned – was their older brother Tom, and you can tell they are genuinely thrilled to be looking more like him than ever before.

Although there is a serious element to the show, it is also crammed with heaps of fun and the laughs come thick and fast. They have a brilliant positive spin that they put on any negative comments received by online trolls, plus a moment or two to celebrate good men which is nothing if not inclusive, and a wonderful account of inviting a male stripper to a hen do in a Devon caravan. Much of their material reverts to their relationship with their mother, who sounds like a most remarkable woman, and there’s an amazing feelgood ending to the show which makes everyone go home feeling happy.

Sarah Keyworth’s My Eyes Are Up Here UK and Ireland tour continues through till March 2025, but with many venues already sold out; and don’t even think of trying to come to the Palladium.