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 performances at the Glasgow International Comedy Festival and the Edinburgh Fringe, The State We’re In now has a monthly home at Max’s Bar in Glasgow. 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)
THE STATE WE’RE IN: LIVE AT MAX’S BAR
The State We’re In is now live at Max’s Bar, Glasgow, on the last Thursday of every month. For the October and November 2026 shows, doors open at 7pm, the show starts at 7.30pm and entry is free. Each month brings a new Joker Round and a fresh selection of things Britain probably should not have done.
Next two shows
Thursday 29 October 2026
Nightmare on Sauchiehall Street — our Halloween Joker Round
Max’s Bar, Glasgow
Doors 7pm · Show 7.30pm · FREE ENTRY
Thursday 26 November 2026
Fallout New Glasgow — November’s Joker Round
Max’s Bar, Glasgow
Doors 7pm · Show 7.30pm · FREE ENTRY
For these and my other live dates, see the upcoming gigs page.
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??
