Comedian - John Tothill - Comedy in Your Eye

Comedian - John Tothill - Comedy: The Foppish, Fabulous, and Fearless Last Living Libertine

To witness a John Tothill show is to be invited into a world of "giddy intellectual self-delight". A former Cambridge Footlights man and primary school teacher, Tothill has exploded onto the comedy scene with a fully-formed persona that is part foppish hedonist, part idiot academic, and entirely hilarious. His shows are a whirlwind of high-minded philosophy, low-rent antics, and near-death experiences, all delivered with a camp, companionable charm that has made him one of the most distinctive and critically-acclaimed new voices in years.

Background and Comedic Style

Tothill’s unique style is one he describes as needing to be "on stilts": "so high-status that it becomes low-status again". He combines the "naive hedonism of a slightly nerdy misfit" with the air of a pretentious academic, creating a persona that is both louche and loveable. His background as a primary school teacher grounds this persona, allowing the audience to view his shows as a "sort of pretentious lesson" on topics ranging from the death of hedonism in England to the Aristotelian good life.

His performance is a masterclass in energy and engagement. He fizzes with pleasure, gushing about how "obsessed" he is with his audience and making everyone feel like his most fabulous confidante. As Chortle notes, he is "one of the most distinctive stand-up voices of his generation".

A Fringe Legend in the Making (Despite Medical Emergencies)

John Tothill's dedication to his art is, quite literally, death-defying. To fund his debut Edinburgh Fringe show in 2023, The Last Living Libertine, he volunteered for a paid medical trial where he was infected with a deadly strain of malaria—a scheme that went badly wrong when he became severely ill.

Incredibly, his follow-up show in 2024, Thank God This Lasts Forever, was interrupted by a second medical emergency when his appendix "obliterated" mid-run, leading to intra-abdominal sepsis and forcing him to cancel nine performances. These hair-raising experiences have now become legendary, forming the basis of his new show,

This Must Be Heaven, which couches his near-death experiences in "a general history of gluttony in England".

Despite these setbacks, his shows have been showered with accolades. Both his 2023 and 2024 Fringe shows were among the Best-Reviewed of the festival, and he was nominated for Chortle's Best Newcomer award in 2024. With a unique persona and a flair for high-minded absurdity, comedian John Tothill delivers a brand of comedy that is, as Tatler described it, "Resplendent, ridiculous, didactic, and fabulous".

Social Media Presence

John shares his unique worldview with over 10,000 followers on TikTok (@johntothill), where his videos blend stand-up clips with surreal sketches about his addictions to things like The Rest Is Politics podcast. His social media offers a perfect entry point into the wonderfully weird world of a comedian who, as one five-star review put it, has "charisma out the wazoo".

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