Secrets of the Simpsons by Mike Reiss, Upstairs at the Gatehouse, Highgate, London | until 26 July 2026, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review by William Russell

Photo credit: William Russell

Secrets of the Simpsons

by Mike Reiss

Upstairs at the Gatehouse, Highgate, London | until 26 July 2026, touring, dates at end of review

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review by William Russell

“Funny funny man.”

This evening with Mike Reiss, the screenwriter who, among other things, contributed countless of the jokes to The Simpsons which has now been running for 40 years is not on hilarious in what he reveals about Homer and the rest but also about the art of being funny. In his career he has written – he claims – over fifty thousand jokes and now with his wife lives mostly on cruise ships where he performs this show brought to the Gatehouse by Ovation.

As well as writing for The Simpsons Reiss wrote films like Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, Queer Duck and My Life in Ruins and a memoir about his years working on gags for The Simpsons – Springfield Confidential. If you ever wondered what the guest stars felt when they saw what the yellow family did to them then he reveals it all. He answers questions at the end and sends the audience out with a parting gag that only a Jew could tell these days. It really is a night to remember. You won't die laughing but you will laugh an awful lot. Reiss is indeed a funny Funny Man.

It runs there again on 2 August and 3 August.

The tour dates are Stockport Plaza Theatre 29 July, Birmingham Crescent Theatre 30 July, Brighton Komedia 6 August.

Cast

Mike Reiss

Host – John Plews