How do you recover from heartbreak or loss when you are a depressed little slug?

This Triple-A comic (“A”lternative, “A”utistic & “A”ward-winning (Keep It Fringe 2023), ) reflects on this conundrum like the irredeemable clown that he is.

Nominated for the Malcolm Hardee Award for Comic Originality, who knows what this horrid gastropod has in store (possibly an exorcism on himself?). Come see a show also featuring a man with owls for hands , Flashlight Gordon and what happens if a horse walks into a bar.

Awards for previous work:

Keep it Fringe Award winner

Spitfire comedy best unique act award winner

Malcom Hardee award for comic originality nominee

BBC New comedy award Nominee

Actually autistic excellence award nominee

British comedian of the year nominee

Leicester square new comedian of the year finalist

The Luke Rollason Memorial Bursary Award nominee

Recommended by British Comedy Guide(2023)

August 1, 2025   chortle

Edinburgh Fringe 10x10: Looking good

In 2023, autistic alternative comedian Stephen Catling dressed as a bee. This year, his show’s called Moving On... Really, Really Slowly, so what could be more apt than becoming a gastropod mollusc for the promotional shots. One of the guises he adopt in the show is a slug stand-up telling jokes he way only a slug could (slowly). Another is Mr Owls For Hands Man.

Laughing Horse @ The Counting House, 7.30pm Click Here For Article

July 31, 2025    Neurodiverse review

Beehavioural problems something something autism

Appearing with a giant fluffy dog-head on and offering the audience chocolate bars if they are ‘good’, is how Sheffield-born comedian and former Lab Technician Stephen Catling chooses to open his show.

His absurdist performance is a joy and a masterclass in play. I was enthralled from the first moments to the (very) messy climax. Amongst all the strange musical cues and Stephen’s one impression (that of a growly neurotypical person) is a narrative of navigating the world as an autistic person. This comes in at such an obtuse angle that I feel some punters miss it entirely, and are merely captivated by the oddness of the set-pieces.

Stephen does employ a complete gear-change two-thirds of the way through the show, with details around working in animal testing and being bullied as an autistic person. It is a worthy detail to include, especially to educate audiences about the very real ostracization we face as autistic people and the horrendous questioning about our existence we endure. The gear change is perhaps too abrupt and needs to be finessed a little more.

Ultimately, the show is very funny, very enjoyable and serves as a showcase for an immensely funny talent. Click Here For Review

July 29, 2025   British Comedy guide

Stephen Catling / William Thompson / Mitch Benn - Bobby Carroll's Glasgow Comedy Diary: Day 2

The ride is a bucking bronco of surrealism and scruffiness. Click Here For Article

July 1, 2025    london theatre 1

Beehavioural problems something something autism

 Click Here For Review

August 16, 2023    Neurodiverse review

Beehavioural problems something something autism

★★★★

Appearing with a giant fluffy dog-head on and offering the audience chocolate bars if they are ‘good’, is how Sheffield-born comedian and former Lab Technician Stephen Catling chooses to open his show.

His absurdist performance is a joy and a masterclass in play. I was enthralled from the first moments to the (very) messy climax. Amongst all the strange musical cues and Stephen’s one impression (that of a growly neurotypical person) is a narrative of navigating the world as an autistic person. This comes in at such an obtuse angle that I feel some punters miss it entirely, and are merely captivated by the oddness of the set-pieces.

Stephen does employ a complete gear-change two-thirds of the way through the show, with details around working in animal testing and being bullied as an autistic person. It is a worthy detail to include, especially to educate audiences about the very real ostracization we face as autistic people and the horrendous questioning about our existence we endure. The gear change is perhaps too abrupt and needs to be finessed a little more.

Ultimately, the show is very funny, very enjoyable and serves as a showcase for an immensely funny talent. Click Here For Review