Gráinne Maguire: Great People Making Great Choices

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Are stories better than reality? This is the question Gráinne Maguire explores in a show that demonstrates her skill in revealing how fiction and real life intersect, and the dangers of spending too much time escaping from the quotidian. She begins by recounting her preference for tales, whether these arise from the romanticisation of history or the glamour of Hollywood escapism. But she also examines the stories we tell ourselves about our own lives, which enable people to convince themselves that abusive relationships are worth sticking with. It's a neat conceit, enabling the hour to explore incendiary topics such as Ireland's abortion laws in a manner that prevents the whole becoming too worthy. And she unpicks the myths that nations tell themselves, arguing that Brexit won simply because it had the better story.

This is a smartly structured show which functions pleasingly as a cohesive hour rather than a ragbag of gags. The jokes themselves are similarly well-conceived, drawing on simile and metaphor to offer a lyrical comic voice. It's a shame, then, that the delivery doesn't quite hammer them home to their full potential, even if this is a likeable and committed performance. Indeed, there's an original comic voice here, keen for humour to be politically engaged. A Twitter campaign Maguire started that inadvertently went global demonstrates her desire and ability to highlight ludicrous sexism in a comic and inclusive fashion. These are urgent stories, but ones that need a bit more oomph in the telling.