Trial by Laughter

King's Theatre, Glasgow

Following critical acclaim for The Wipers Times, Ian Hislop and Nick Newman have once again taken inspiration from real life events for their new play Trial by Laughter. Read more …

William Hone, the forgotten hero of free speech, was a bookseller, publisher and satirist. In 1817, he stood trial for ‘impious blasphemy and seditious libel’. The only crime he had committed was to be funny. Worse than that he was funny by parodying religious texts. And worst of all, he was funny about the despotic government and the libidinous monarchy.

The critical consensus

While urgency may be lacking at points, it more than makes up for it in the comic romp stakes.

(*) (*) Neil Cooper, Coffee-Table Notes, 12/02/2019

Valuable yet ultimately dull historical comedy.

(*) (*) (*) Gareth K Vile, The List, 13/02/2019

There are some great moments of good old-fashion comedy with the most humorous moments in the sub-text, as class and gender politics notably simmered under the surface, only to be revealed in jest.

(*) Paul Guthrie, Reviews Sphere, 12/02/2019

A love-letter to 19th-century satire that struggles to translate to stage.

(*) (*) (*) Flora Gosling, The Wee Review, 13/02/2019