Hopepunk is a literary genre created as a response to nihilistic fantasy works such as A Game of Thrones and The First Law.  Hopepunk posits that being positive and constructive in a world that rewards cynicism and brutality is an act of rebellion, making it a worthy successor of the punk movement. Juliette Burton’s stand-up comedy show, Hopepunk, is inspired by this movement; it’s a show about striking a light against the darkness, as an act of both defiance and love.

This is a friendly, personal show that is honest and upfront about what it is.  It’s a show about using hope as a tool to change your own world but with a cocky smile and a touch of cunning.  It’s also brutal and honest about mental health; Burton talks freely and charismatically about their own mental health issues, as well as their life in general.  Burton is a huge nerd and has a lively, geeky energy, which means that the show features PowerPoint presentations about the oddest things.

There’s also a fair bit of material about the pandemic and lockdown, which makes sense; it was a major event that changed lives and caused many of us to overthink our life so far, as well as the worst possible to time to lose hope. Juliette digs deep to find the funny side despite all this. 

The show has a small amount of crowd work (the show we saw had a small audience), and at times it feels like a bunch of strangers who have huddled together to have a good old gossip.  Juliette also tackles toxic positivity; there’s a big difference between not giving up and putting on a brave face, after all.

This is a very neurodiversity-friendly show. It is inspirational, clever, and incredibly charming. Simply marvellous.

Find out more about Juliette’s future shows here.