5 Stars and Loving It: Maureen’s Alternative Comedy Delivers Glorious Queer Chaos
Community reporter Joshua Edwards heads to Union Corner for the first Maureen’s Alternative Comedy night — a queer-friendly, DIY comedy experiment full of musical mischief, audience ambushes and joyful oddity. What follows is a knowingly chaotic, laugh-out-loud review of a night that gleefully refuses to behave.
It’s been seven months since I began writing for Plymouth Culture. So far, it’s been a stellar experience. Seeking out cool things and writing about them for public consumption, using the platform to support and promote local artistic endeavors whilst also using my various writing qualifications in a real and concrete way. This, my ninth article, is a bit of a milestone in that I was approached specifically to do a review by the team in charge of something.
Talented local comedian, Tee Wisteria and their partner Nicole (mostly Nicole, all told. She’s the brain, Tee’s the face) have put together an (almost) monthly event called Maureen’s Alternative Comedy. It is a queer friendly platform for off-kilter funny people to peddle their wares. I was touched to be invited to review it and, of course, jumped at the chance.
I should’ve known it was a set up…
The first event took place at the Union Corner community space on Union Street. I was immediately enamoured by the DIY feel of the room and the friendly buzz of the already assembled when I walked in. The co-creators greeted me warmly, providing me with a charming Mr. Noisy mug to decant my wine into. It was a bring your own booze type deal which, for a man on a budget, was honestly a major selling point.
Guests were provided a zine and a bespoke Christmas cracker upon arrival, but my cracker was not given. Tee assured me mine was coming and directed me to a very comfortable green folding chair that they’d reserved for me in the front row. They also kept referring to me as “the Press” despite knowing my name; Tee is a very funny, somewhat eccentric individual, so I thought nothing of it.
Warning signs all, but all I missed.
The show began with Tee themselves acting as MC, though show time was pushed back by five minutes as two of the pre-bought ticket holders had yet to arrive, which was genuinely lovely. After introductions, a couple of well-crafted jokes and a Q & A with the audience about their favourite conspiracy theories, Tee pointed out “The Press” in the front row to everyone and presented me with my cracker. They insisted that the contents were to be kept between us, but I am a man of integrity so I revealed all; a paper hat, a Maureen’s sticker and a joke donated by a local comedian the same as everyone else. But also, a massive wad of fifty-pound notes. A disgusting attempt to buy a good review. I was appalled as I stuffed the currency into my pocket and disgusted further when I realized it wasn’t even real legal tender.
Tee needn’t have bothered with the bribe though, as the first act Mimi was worth the price of admission alone. A quick-witted collection of ukelele songs performed with a barbed malice hidden behind a saccharine, bubblegum delivery. The highlight being a love song written on the fly whilst quizzing two single audience members on their interests in order to spark a love connection that displayed a remarkable talent for improvisation.
Mimi then invited out her pal, Krampus’ Little Helper, a terrifying she-demon who performed a Christmas parody called Satan Baby that left the audience howling in various ways.
Speaking of howling, the next act was Jen the Poetry Cryptid, whose lupine appearance set up a comedy sandwich of poems about wanting to… ahem… lay with mythical beasts in a Biblical fashion and some astute observational stand-up that dealt with autism and some of the conspiracy theories that Tee had eeked out of the crowd at the show’s beginning. We should be thankful that Big Bird is still with us. If you know, you know.
Before the break, Tee led three unfortunate audience members in a Christmas wrapping contest that was hilariously chaotic. Tee then asked me how it was going and when I told them in jest that I’d give it minus five stars, they pulled a bunch of Christmas cracker jokes from their pocket and angrily yelled them at me, disposing of each little paper jokelet by tossing them at my face. “This is what you want!” they bellowed, “The press wants Christmas cracker jokes!”
I was shaken, but I persevered.
James Phillips was up next and his aloof acting coach character was played to perfection. He created a beautiful comic tension that had the whole room rapt despite preying on them continuously. So much audience interaction at Maureen’s. No ticket holder is safe. I know I’ll see James’ death stare whenever I close my eyes for weeks to come.
Soph-Lee Spoken performed an unsettling send-up of ASMR with a Christmas twist after James, then to finish the night, the supremely talented Numa Bonet. She turned musical virtuosity into comedy gold with the aid of foam fingers, apples, facial clothes pegs and quick-fire strip tease.
She did also spray Weetabix in my wine though…
… It kind of worked, to be fair.
All told, the first Maureen’s Alternative Comedy night was a triumph of oddity and humour. I joined the rest of the audience in thouroughly enjoying the delightful chaos.
But Tee invited “The Press,” tried to bribe him and then savagely victimized him, all for what? A quote for the next poster..
Well, here you go:
-5 Stars.
Stick that under your quirky chickens, Wisteria, you fopdoodle!
You can attend the next Maureen’s Alternative Comedy night on Valentine’s Day, Saturday the 14th of February 2026. You can find out more about it at @maureens_alternative_comedy on Instagram, as well as info on all the acts that performed at the first one.
