A comedy panel show for a country that has clearly stopped reading the instructions.

The news is ridiculous. Politics has gone feral. Artificial intelligence is designing viruses, billionaires are attempting to run civilisation, and somewhere a politician is explaining why none of this is technically their fault.

So naturally, we made it into a game show.

Created and hosted by comedian Si Walker, The State We’re In pits two teams of comedians against each other to tackle the news, politics, culture and whatever fresh insanity humanity has managed to produce that week. Part panel show, part topical stand-up and part desperate attempt to work out:

What the living fuck is going on?

Following its debut at the Glasgow International Comedy Festival, The State We’re In returns TO THE FRINGE with new comedians, new headlines and absolutely no guarantee that civilisation will still be functioning by showtime.

So What is Going On?

ROUND 1: WHAT DO WE HAVE HERE THEN?

The teams are confronted with some of the biggest, strangest and most gloriously stupid stories currently happening in Britain and beyond.

• There may be questions.
• There will definitely be opinions.
• Points are available, although Si’s relationship with objective scoring is complicated.

ROUND 2: DON’T TOUCH THAT BUTTON

The world is clearly fucked. This is the round that asks who is to blame or who or what — could actually save it?

The panel must make their case for the person, character, idea or deeply questionable solution capable of rescuing humanity or being responsible for our onwards decent to worlds end – while buzzing to support or tear down other ideas.

SPIN THAT WHEEL

Reasonable answers are neither required nor especially encouraged.

CLIT BATE

Named for the wankers that write them – This round celebrates those headlines where you think:

“There is absolutely no way that’s a real story.”

BUT THEY ARE !! So we give the teams genuine headlines that raise more questions and answers and ask them to tell us what the headlines are asking, and most importantly: what the hell is going on?

Welcome to the point where reality finally became harder to write than satire.

FIGHTING TALK

Time to stop hiding behind the team.

Each comedian gets three minutes to take on something happening in the world with their own topical stand-up set.

No teammates. No rescue. Just comedian versus civilisation (Oh and Si and his massive red buzzer)

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THE STATE WE’RE IN: FRINGE EDITION

After causing trouble at the Glasgow International Comedy Festival, The State We’re In is heading to the Edinburgh Fringe for one special performance.

Friday 14 August 2026
1:15pm
Carriers Quarters, Edinburgh
Free Fringe – no ticket required
Part of Jac and Other Personalities

Six comedians. Two teams. One host.

And a news cycle that really should know better.

Come to the show and help us ask:
WE LEFT THE NEWS UNATTENDED FOR FIVE MINUTES AND WHAT THE LIVING FUCK, MAN??