Comedian Alexandra Haddow talks starting a revolution, cucks and Oasis ahead of her debut UK tour.
Congratulations on your debut tour. What’s Third Party all about? “Sex, politics, life, being rebellious, and trying to find a bit of hope among all the shit going on. Don’t worry, it’s not too politics-heavy. You won’t come out feeling depressed. Essentially, I want you to feel energised to fight the revolution.”
Any topics or themes you’re particularly passionate about exploring? “I’m becoming more angry at anyone in a position of authority, so any way I can exploit that and turn it into humour is good.”
Who are your current nemeses right now? “Oh, my list is longer than ever. I actually don’t have Elon Musk high on my list, as I think he’s lost the plot so much he’ll burn himself out and be in some sort of sheltered accommodation for the super rich by the end of the year. But any billionaire on Earth, and all train company CEOs. I’d be able to spend so much more time at home if I didn’t have to get a train three hours early just to account for delays. Oh, and Tim Lovejoy.”
You tap into some once-niche topics, like cuckolding. Has the internet made people more savvy to weirdness? “A cuck joke is one of my favourites in the show, and I’m not sure it’s outdated even post-election. I think it depends on your audience though—young crowds get on board quicker with niche topics, but there are surprises. I guess older people have lived, and if they’re coming to see me, they probably share a worldview. But the internet has definitely helped get weird topics out there.”
You do a lot of compèring. Is there an art to it? “I originally started this show by going straight into it. Because it’s quite a relaxed show, it felt like a cold open and the audience was a bit tense, so I started doing a bit of crowd work at the beginning and it completely opened them up. I love the unpredictability of MCing. With a tour show, a bit of off-piste stuff is fun, but you’ve got a lot of jokes to get through before you have to leave the venue.”
Best heckle? “I was MCing a gig once and a guy I’d snogged at uni was on the front row. I started chatting to him without realising. He was on a date, and the whole gig became a lot more fun when everyone twigged something had gone on between us. I’m not sure his date loved it, mind.”
Who are your comedy heroes? “Billy Connolly, Dylan Moran, Spike Milligan, Victoria Wood, Julia Davis, Kenny Everett, Frankie Boyle… Anyone a bit odd that does something new, basically.”
Are you excited about Oasis? “Oh, I’m so excited! I feel like, pre-ticketgate, the reunion news united the country a bit—whether it was people getting excited, or taking the piss out of the look Oasis fans have. For a couple of days, Twitter was like old Twitter—just silliness, rather than a bunch of middle-aged Nazis telling everyone their opinions.”
Alexandra Haddow played the Alma Tavern & Theatre, Bristol in February 2025
