I'm Not Being Funny

A play about hope, endings and the perils of performing stand-up comedy with your partner. First performed at the Bush Theatre, London, in 2026. 'I'm not gonna stand up in front of a bunch of strangers and tell stories about you and me.' Billie's signed them both up for stand-up comedy. Tonight, she and her husband Peter are locking themselves in their living room until they've got it down: a 'tight-five' set that's a guaranteed knock-out. With the clock ticking and nothing but a baby monitor for an audience, they go delving through their past for material. But as questions about their future are forced to the surface, they discover that some jokes really do hurt, and laughter isn't always the best medicine. I'm Not Being Funny explores hope, endings and how to survive if a knock-knock joke hits you in the gut. Piers Black's play was first performed at the Bush Theatre, London, in 2026, directed by Bryony Shanahan.