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Harriet Richardson is a performance artist, not a stand-up comedian.
And yet she found her life and art colliding with comedy after one performance piece of hers went viral, when she met up for more than 100 blind dates over Zoom on a single Valentine’s Day. The media attention led to creeps in her comments and DMs, and even over Raya.
Alas, the creepiness of one male comedian in particular led Richardson down her own rabbit hole of creepy obsession. That she manages to tell the tale with such aplomb and humor speaks volumes to her potential as a proper stand-up. That she did so with her parents in the audience at Fringe, who had never seen her perform stand-up before (and were seated directly behind me), shows just how much chutzpah (complimentary) she has as well.
From embarrassing Christmas videos, to eBay purchases, to mental-health check-ins, and even a diabolical first visit to Fringe, Richardson reveals all the lengths she succumbed to for the sake of her obsession. Therapy helped. Ultimately, her subsequent performance art piece had a more lasting impact on both her body as well as her mental health. Even if it did prompt even more creepy men to come out of the social media woodwork.
She has made a most memorable Fringe debut. Certainly one her parents will never forget.
Harriet Richardson: Creep plays Below at Pleasance Courtyard during the 2026 Edinburgh Fringe.
