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The Guardian
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Kieran Hodgson: Voice of America review – meek Brit meets his star-spangled States
'I love America!,' says Kieran Hodgson, which is quite the opening gambit in a week when the country has risked kickstarting the third world war. But that is the Yorkshireman's point: there is a better US, now occluded by He Who Shall Barely Be Named, but still worth believing in. Voice of America traces Hodgson's lifelong love affair with the States, in the teeth of his Europhile parents' distaste, the disillusion of the Bush years and a recent doomed bid for Hollywood success. It joins as big-hitting a body of work as any in comedy, a suite of autobiographical shows itemising the nerdy obsessions (cycling; Mahler; European politics) of child and adult Kieran. Voice of America hits less big, for my money, partly because its subject is less lovably niche, and also because the binary thinking (America good? America bad?) is simplistic before Hodgson arrives at his predictably more nuanced conclusion. You may have to park your scepticism at Hodgson's vision (seen through the star-spangled eyes of youth) of the US pre-2000 as a paradise before the fall. This middle-class ingenue from Holmfirth looks in awe at Home Alone, Will Smith and the soaring speeches of JFK. His parents' dismissal of 'American rubbish' only fuels his fetish for Americana. Then comes his career in entertainment, and a growing sense that Tinseltown is the only place to be. The show circles around a tale Hodgson tells of his would-be breakthrough role in a superhero movie, and the can of worms prised open by his obligation to play an American. What, or who, is an American anyway? Is it the culture vulture he meets at the opera? Or is it the current president, whom our host refuses to talk about, but who keeps threatening a hostile takeover of the show? This all supplies a great platform for Hodgson's vocal and mimicry talent, and for neat jokes, too, like the Canadians/Ewoks number, or the one about the audio entertainment on Hodgson family road trips. Its structure may, like Trump, be crude – but this is another fine show about a meek Brit grappling with the all-conquering myth, and reality, of America. At Soho theatre, London, until 28 June. Then at Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh, 30 July-24 August.
Times
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
Kieran Hodgson review — a Yorkshireman gets lost in the USA
You may know Kieran Hodgson for his four Edinburgh Comedy Award-nominated shows, his YouTube TV parodies, his role on the sitcom Two Doors Down or just for his bit part in the superhero film flop The Flash. It's that troublesome role — 'Sandwich Guy' — that provides the pivot for Voice of America, his latest gag-rich yet erudite mix of satire, confessional and funny voices. If you've never seen the smoothly self-doubting Yorkshireman perform, you might be deceived by the beaming figure in double denim who strides to the stage at the Soho Theatre to the strains of Born in the USA. He contrasts the big-game glamour of American elections with the dowdiness of Keir Starmer. Yet is Hodgson wowed by America or duped by it? Is his idea of America lost in the greater optimism of his Nineties childhood? Or does his Europhile English teacher father have a point when he derides a country whose sheen has above all always concealed a passion for power? Any heavy stuff, though, is safely lodged in a far larger dose of fun stuff. Hodgson first lets us into the thrill of being offered The Flash after the viral success of his TV parodies briefly gave him showbiz currency during lockdown. Then he opens up about the challenge it posed him. He is 'a voices guy' yet, after a day of filming, his perkily ruthless new US agent informs him that his voice needs work. He gets the mechanics of accents but does he get the modern American mentality? Is he as off the pace as the Anglophile who is amazed that Hodgson is visiting his English pub in Portland, Oregon, rather than staying home in Britain to celebrate the Queen's birthday? You couldn't say the stakes are sky-high: it's a bit part and we know he keeps it. But The Flash gives a spine to strong stories and sharp observations as he talks about, and impersonates, several American presidents. He makes merry with his nerdishness, his upbringing, the disparity between the 'stupid America' of modern myth and the cultural elite he sits among at the opera in New York. Can he keep Donald J Trump out of it like he wants to? Good luck keeping Trump out of anything, buddy. It's another richly entertaining hour from a consistently captivating comedian. ★★★★☆
Telegraph
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
What happened when a middle-class Brit went in search of the ‘Voice of America'
In this show, the comedian and impressionist Kieran Hodgson – most famous for his masterful online parodies, which range from The Crown to the 2024 general election – blends homely autobiographical stories with global events, trying to unpick the enigma of America. Having previously built shows around the UK's entry to the EU, learning Gaelic and composing his own symphony, he's certainly got the comedy tools at his disposal to be confident, amusing and self-laceratingly funny, despite the size of his task. Voice of America revolves around an account of trying to create the right American accent for a Hollywood producer – but develops into an attempt to sell the joy and exuberance of America to a wary audience shell-shocked by Trump. When he asks who's tuning out of the news, there's a strong swell of acknowledgement from the crowd. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kieran Hodgson (@kieranchodgson) Hodgson has always had a strong line in British middle-class self-deprecation. His awkward erudition, he explains, is based on growing up the son of English teachers – when he asks if he can have an ice cream, his father replies that he can, but he may not – and his confidence crumbles when said producer asks him to play 'Sandwich Guy' in the opening scene of superhero box-office flop The Flash. Hodgson has made his career out of his uncanny skill as an impressionist. He even uses silly voices at moments of intense personal interaction, such as his husband's proposal. It's a reflex, and he's imitated Americans since he was on his primary school playground, intoning 'I did not have sex with that woman.' So his failure to deliver a convincing accent for Sandwich Guy prompts soul searching – and a host of other impressions as he recounts his attempts to find that elusive accent and, by extension, the voice of America itself. As a kid in the Nineties he loved Independence Day and Home Alone. He came of age in the 2000s confounded by Bushisms – 'Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we' – and found evangelicals banning Harry Potter as irritating as emo bands. But neither decade gave him the voice he was looking for, he tells us. For a while, he blames America and Trump's voice, which threatens to overwhelm the show. Hodgson keeps trying not to lurch into an impression of the US president, identifying the White House occupant as essentially a stand-up comedian who delivers a rambling stream of consciousness like a Nazi Ross Noble. Then a visit to a British-themed pub in Portland, Oregon that's so nearly right but so very wrong teaches him how easy it is to think you've heard a country but have actually failed to listen properly. The show concludes in an unexpectedly dark place for the typically upbeat performer. As he demonstrates his Sandwich Guy scene, he morphs uncannily into Trump, berating both crowd and performer like the MC at the end of Cabaret. But whilst Trump may be the voice of today's America, Hodgson insists that the country's brash charm ensures change is always possible. Kieran Hodgson: Voice of America, Soho Theatre then Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh until Aug 24; tickets:
Scotsman
16-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Kieran Hodgson: Voice of America
Pleasance Courtyard: Beyond: July 30 – August 25: 9:30pm Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Multi-award nominated comedian and actor Kieran Hodgson is set to return to the Pleasance throughout the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with his highly anticipated new show 'Voice of America' following a run at London's Soho Theatre. Tickets will be available from 1st April from Following the festival, he will be embarking on a national tour in the Autumn. 'Voice of America' will see Kieran engage with current affairs for the first time with an ever-evolving political stand-up routine, whilst the show still keeps the character-led personal storytelling that he's known & acclaimed for. Kieran will attempt to understand what America truly sounds like—from the roaring chants of Trump rallies to the anthems of Taylor Swift, from Pride Marches to the chaos of January 6th. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The show stems from events in 2021, when Hodgson's American dream came true and landed a role in the mega-budget Warner Brothers superhero movie The Flash, stealing the opening scene as the unforgettable 'Sandwich Guy'. The only catch? He had to sound American, and on day one, producers told him that he really, really didn't. Kieran Hodgson Can he, a man known for his incredible vocal mimicry, capture the essence of a country through its voices? Can American voices still inspire hope in a complicated world? And, most crucially, can Sandwich Guy make his peanut butter and banana on a seeded roll in time for The Flash to save the day? Four-time Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee Kieran is an acclaimed actor, writer and comedian who has sold out theatres and comedy venues across the UK with his shows 'Lance', 'Maestro', ''75' and 'Big In Scotland'. He has been consistently recognised as one of the most exciting and acclaimed comics of his generation, and was named by the Telegraph as one of the 50 funniest comedians of the 21st Century. Kieran was a series regular across five series of BBC One smash hit sitcom 'Two Doors Down'. He also wrote and starred in - Prince Andrew The Musical - for Channel 4, in which he led a cast of comics in a satirical send-up of the life and times of Prince Andrew. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad In 2023, Kieran's show Big In Scotland was awarded his fourth nomination for Best Show at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards following a hugely successful run. His live work has been recorded and adapted for Amazon Prime, Channel 4 and BBC Radio, and he received the 2021 Royal Television Society of Scotland Award for 'Best Comedy' for his programme How We Forgot To Save The Planet. In 2022, Kieran starred in See How They Run opposite Saoirse Ronan, Sam Rockwell, and David Oyelowo. He has also appeared in indie dark comedy feature All My Friends Hate Me as well as major superhero film The Flash. Other credits include: Netflix's The Irregulars, Alibi's Miss Scarlett & The Duke, BBC3 / BBC One's BAFTA-nominated Pls Like, BBC3's hit Famalam, BBC 2's Upstart Crow, Netflix's Lovesick and his own Channel Four Blap God's Own County. Kieran also played the role of Jonathan in both sell-out West End runs of the rave-reviewed comedy musical A Christmas Carol (ish) by Nick Mohammed. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad
Glasgow Times
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
Two Doors Down star teased popular show's shock comeback
Kieran Hodgson, who plays Gordon in the hit BBC show, is the first cast member from the programme to 'confirm' that the much-loved sitcom is returning for a Christmas special. We reported how the TV show is set to make a comeback following the death of one of its creators, Simon Caryle, in 2023. READ MORE: Star of Two Doors Down confirms shows shock comeback Speaking on Scotland Tonight on STV on Wednesday, May 21, the 37-year-old said there has been no official announcement for the Xmas special, however, he teased there may be some filming taking place this year. The comic said: 'I cannot possibly say things, I can't possibly say, but I might be doing some filming in the next couple of months, I don't know. 'We're like a family, it's great to reunite as we do socially. "Were we to get back together, there would be lots of love, happy memories, and desire to make even more memories.' (Image: Newsquest) At the start of May 2025, we reported how Kieran said there 'will be tears' when the cast reunite for rehearsals for the special episode this summer. It comes after the much-loved sitcom was axed in 2023 when its co-creator, Simon Carlyle, sadly died aged 48. Following that, the co-writer of the show, Gregor Sharp, announced he couldn't carry on the programme without Simon. READ MORE: Two Doors Down star pictured filming new show at Glasgow pub However, fans of the comedy were left buzzing when rumours previously emerged that Gregor had a 'change of heart' and was crafting an Xmas special. The well-known Scottish sitcom ran for seven series, with the seventh season screening in November 2023, several months after Simon's death. It first appeared on TV screens as a one-off Hogmanay pilot in 2013. After that, multiple series of the hugely successful programme were produced.
