Set Free

Simon Amstell spends part of his 2019 performance lying in the fetal position on stage, clutching his microphone like a security blanket. It is a fitting visual for a show that treats neurosis, chronic anxiety, and existential dread not as obstacles to overcome, but as the raw material for comedy. Rather than hiding behind the smirking sarcasm of his early television days, Amstell is remarkably candid. He explains how he tried to cure his chronic intimacy issues through everything from a sex party in Paris to an ayahuasca ceremony in Peru.

Filmed at EartH Hackney in London, the special arrived at a transitional point in Amstell’s career. He had spent the preceding years moving away from television hosting to focus on writing and directing, including the mockumentary Carnage and the feature film Benjamin. Directed by Julia Knowles, the set combines material from two of his live tours. It features bits about his childhood as a closeted kid in Essex, his fraught relationship with his emotionally distant father, and his realization that trying to make everyone love him is a waste of time.