Lily Phillips – Preview Series

Comedy Freaks presents: Lily Phillips – Preview Series
Comedy Freaks’ preview series is your front-row ticket to one-hour work-in-progress shows from the freshest comedic talents—and this week, we’re welcoming Lily Phillips, a razor-sharp, foul-mouthed feminist with a newborn in tow and a sold-out Fringe show already under her belt.

‘Fresh’ off hatching a baby girl, Lily’s juggling motherhood, comedy, and sleep deprivation like a pro—if “pro” means losing her perineum and sanity, but still owning the spotlight. Her new show, Crying (Work in Progress), lands raw: she’s “absolutely FINE,” even if you question how much of “fine” is sarcastic bravado—and that’s exactly the point. If you speak fluent sarcasm, this one’s for you.

Who is Lily Phillips?
•Rising UK comedy star: Described by the Daily Express as an “uninhibited feminist with a foul mouth” (★★★★), Lily burst onto the Fringe circuit with her Edinburgh show Smut in 2022. That hour of rude jokes—from vagina humour to animal-sex facts—sold out venues and earned her praise for its confidence and lowbrow brilliance.
•TV & streaming credits: Regularly appears on The Stand Up Sketch Show (ITV2, Series 2–4 + Christmas Special), and has popped up on Period Dramas (BBC3), The Joy of Missing Out (All4), E4’s Fake Podcast Show, and Comedy Central Live.
•Award-winning pedigree: She was a BBC New Comedy Award finalist in 2021, runner-up for Leicester Square New Comedian of the Year (2019), a Funny Women finalist (2018), Pleasance Reserve performer (2019), Chortle’s “One to Watch” (2022), and even claimed “Best Tangent” at Golden Lobes 2025.
•Writer in the making: During lockdown, Lily branched into writing; her debut sitcom script was shortlisted in the Funny Women Awards top three (2021).

Fringe Highlights – Smut
Her debut hour Smut was bold, hilarious, and brutally honest—heavy on vagina jokes, menstrual cups, body image, poop, and dolphin sex facts. Critics praised its confidence and charm:
•“A sidesplittingly comical Fringe show” (Entertainment Now)
•“Exudes confidence… relatable storytelling… found her true calling” (I Talk Telly)
•★★★ from Fest, noting depth and potential.
Sold-out runs followed at Pleasance Courtyard and Soho Theatre, and Smut is now available on ITVX—a perfect platform for her razor-cutting, unabashed humour.

What to Expect from Crying (WIP)
Lily brings the same vulnerable swagger and punchy delivery. Fresh off motherhood, she mines the highs and lows of birth, sleep loss, reclaiming identity, and her “perineum farewell tour.” It’s a sarcastic spin on postpartum life with the confidence of someone who’s broken open—and is still here to crack jokes. Set to debut at festivals including Hastings, Machynlleth, Oxford, Cambridge, and Balham, Crying is already turning heads with reviews like:
•★★★★ “Stitches is hilarious and harrowing in equal measure…” (VoiceMag)
•★★★★ “Something special is brewing… fronts up about sacrifice and overwhelm of motherhood without stinting on the funny” (The Guardian)
•★★★★ “Brought tears to my eyes… hilarious” (Funny Women)
•★★★★ “Uninhibited feminist with a foul mouth” (Daily Express).

Why You Need to See This
Lily Phillips isn’t just another mum-on-stage trope—she’s a fearless, honest, comedic force. Her work is personal, social, and uncomfortably hilarious—never shy, never polished, purposefully provocative. She tackles taboo topics with gusto, from postpartum body image to animal mating rituals, and stitches it together with empathy and wit.
Preview night gives you a rare chance to see her test and refine this hour before the Netflix specials roll out. It’s raw, it’s real, and it’s riotously funny.
One night only: Lily Phillips – Crying (WIP).
She may be exhausted, emotional, and a little raw around the edges—but she’s absolutely FINE. Bring your sarcasm—and maybe a tissue.

Source: The Harrison website