Deage Paxton: Dead Man’s Hand

A "choose your own adventure" style stand-up show. No setlist. No safety net. No two shows the same.

On August 2, 1876, Wild Bill Hickok was gunned down in a Deadwood saloon holding the winning hand: Aces and Eights. Known ever since as the "Dead Man’s Hand," it serves as a reminder that even when you are holding the best cards, the game can change in an instant. After 15 years on the UK circuit—headlining The Stand, the Glee Club, and providing tour support for Tom Stade, Carl Hutchinson, and Ria Lina—I’m putting my career on the table and letting you deal the deck.

Following sold-out Fringe runs with Impersonable, Inappropriate, and Immature, I’m ditching the narrative fluff for a "brazen, bizarre, and brilliant" (One4Review [****]) experience where you run the show. There is no setlist. There is only The Board: a massive X/Y axis featuring 100 of my best jokes, stories, and songs.

You provide the coordinates; I deliver the set. Want the hits? Demand the Bankers. Want the "dark, twisty, and hilarious" (Felt Nowt) material? Go for the Filth. Whether you want "pitch black" (Edinburgh Eye [****]) or a "straightforward, fun hour of funny" (Kate Copstick), I’m an "unmissable up-and-coming act" (Big Belly Comedy Club) ready to "jump over the line double-footed."

The power is entirely in your hands. You choose the path, you skip the fluff, and you curate the chaos. I’ve spent 15 years sharpening these "very original" (Narc Magazine) jokes—now it’s your turn to see how they fit together.