Nanette

As I was perusing the Boots Meal Deal options a young couple was next to me. She suggested some crisps. He said, 'I hate crisps'. I drifted towards the till wondering why someone has enough time on his hands to hate crisps, as it seems like a strong reaction. My over-analysis also made me feel the need to emigrate to where (initially at least) there will be a language barrier. Over at the till, as has been the case during the last several visits, Asian tourists were causing delays by presenting dozens of receipts for tax rebates pre-departure from the UK. Brits in the queue were chuntering indignantly in the way that only Brits know how, about insufficient cashiers and delays to tucking into their egg mayo sandwiches. Chuntering lasted until they reached the front of the queue, at which point they reverted to a deferential overly polite approach.

I had been recommended to watch Nanette, the stand up show by the Australian comedian Hannah Gadsby, so went to Berry and Helen's in the evening to do so. Helen had been in the kitchen all day processing courgettes from their allotment into many courgette related items, some of which we ate as we watched.

Nanette is a must-watch. A uniquely creative performance that is both humorous and powerfully moving in equal measure. Hannah Gadsby bravely confronts her own traumas and insecurities, explaining how the self-deprecating humour she's used to describe her past experiences has prevented her from addressing things, and made her pain worse. She mixes lightheartedness with hard-hitting words about the realities of her coming out story and the impact that other events have had on her life. It was extremely moving, and there may have been sobbing.

I hope this performance encourages a new breed of comedy routine. It feels like many aspects of the comedy genre would benefit from a rebrand.

One of my favourite lines from the show was: 'fear difference, you learn nothing.' It couldn't be truer.