KIERAN HODGSON: VOICE OF AMERICA
Soho Theatre
★★★★★
“His timing is razor-sharp, his transitions effortless, and his control of tone masterful”
Kieran Hodgson delivers a bold, intelligent, and deeply authentic performance in Voices of America, a show that is as much about laughter as it is about longing. From the moment he steps onto the stage, microphone in hand and nothing else but his vivid energy, Hodgson takes the audience on a whirlwind journey through memory, pop culture, and political commentary. It’s a one-man show that feels like a full-cast production, because Kieran becomes the cast himself.
At its heart, this is a show about nostalgia, but not the kind that’s saccharine or rose-tinted. It’s the nostalgia of family car rides in the summer, the soundtracks of our childhoods, and the way Hollywood shaped our dreams of America. Hodgson conjures up those formative moments: the films we obsessed over, the music we blasted in our bedrooms, the accents we tried to mimic while dreaming of lives across the ocean.
But this isn’t just a sentimental look back, it’s a smart, witty dissection of the American mythos, especially as seen through British eyes. The America Hodgson presents is one of contradictions and disillusionment, a country that sells the dream of freedom and reinvention but doesn’t always live up to its own legend. His brilliant impersonations of American presidents – each one carefully observed and hilariously distinct – underline this point, portraying a nation constantly trying to define itself. Interestingly, there’s one president he deliberately omits, inviting the audience to fill in the blank and question why.
The fact that Kieran Hodgson is a three-time Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee is no surprise. His timing is razor-sharp, his transitions effortless, and his control of tone masterful. With nothing but a mic, he builds a world onstage: part comedy gig, part confessional, part historical satire. He makes you laugh with references to pop culture absurdity, then suddenly pulls you into a deeper, more intimate memory, only to throw you back into fits of laughter again.
A standout moment is when he recalls landing two lines in the superhero movie The Flash – a story delivered with such self-deprecating charm that you find yourself thinking, “Oh come on, he’s perfect for that part!” Even if it was just as a sandwich boy, his retelling makes it feel like the role of a lifetime. That’s Hodgson’s gift, he finds emotional truth and comedic gold in the smallest, most personal details.
Voices of America is a love letter to what we thought America was, and a satire of what it turned out to be. But more than that, it’s a show about identity, voice, and growing up, both personally and politically. It’s funny, moving, biting, and brilliant.
If you ever doubted that a microphone and one man could carry an entire audience for 60 minutes without pause, Kieran Hodgson will prove you wrong.
KIERAN HODGSON: VOICE OF AMERICA
Soho Theatre then Edinburgh Festival Fringe ahead of UK Tour
Reviewed on 17th June 2025
by Beatrice Morandi
Photography by Matt Stronge
Last ten shows reviewed at this venue:
HOUSE OF LIFE | ★★★★★ | May 2025
JORDAN GRAY: IS THAT A C*CK IN YOUR POCKET, OR ARE YOU JUST HERE TO KILL ME? | ★★★★★ | May 2025
WHAT IF THEY ATE THE BABY? | ★★★★★ | March 2025
WEATHER GIRL | ★★★½ | March 2025
DELUGE | ★★★★ | February 2025
ROB AUTON: THE EYES OPEN AND SHUT SHOW | ★★★½ | February 2025
DEMI ADEJUYIGBE IS GOING TO DO ONE (1) BACKFLIP | ★★★★★ | January 2025
MAKE ME LOOK FIT ON THE POSTER | ★★★★ | January 2025
SANTI & NAZ | ★★★★ | January 2025
BALL & BOE – FOR FOURTEEN NIGHTS ONLY | ★★★★ | December 2024
