'Ditzy and forgetful' comic Angela Barnes tours Hot Mess show to Derbyshire town

Angela, whose TV credits include Mock The Week, Live at the Apollo and 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown, will be reflecting on marriage, ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder) and the pandemic in her performance at Bakewell Town Hall on March 4, 2023.She said: “Hot Mess was originally about ADHD, but, ironically, I got distracted. The title of the show was conceived before the diagnosis. I’ve always been ditzy and forgetful. So the show started off being about trying to get things right and often failing, but then so much happened it ended up being about something quite different, about friendship and loss.”Lots of comedians including Aisling Bea, Shaparak Khorsandi and Simon Brodkin have ADHD. Angela said: “I think there’s a reason why we get drawn to this life. We’re constantly looking for that dopamine hit. What better way than stand in front of a room of strangers. It’s not normal to drive to Cardiff for no money to do ten minutes then drive back. Also, I think we’re quite socially awkward. I’ve never been good in social situations with people I don’t know. I’m more comfortable on stage in front of a crowd in the dark. I’m more suprised by standups that don’t have ADHD. Why are they doing it?”Angela’s boyfriend proposed at the start of lockdown and the couple were married in 2021. She told interviewer Bruce Dessau: “It was just after the restrictions were lifted on weddings. We had our reception in a field so people felt safe. It was the first party anyone had been to for a year and a half so the atmosphere was brilliant. That’s my tip – have a wedding at the end of a global pandemic.”

Tickets £16, go to www.ticketsource.co.uk