In what is probably the first of the ‘dead supermarket’ genre of comedy show, Mancunian comedian Paul Campbell guides us through the five stages of grief he experienced when his favourite shop closed down.

As a socially awkward teenager who was finding it difficult to fit in at his sixth form college, Campbell found solace in his local branch of Somerfield supermarket. That is, until it was tragically replaced by a Home Bargains.

This quirky and unique show was something of a cult hit at the Edinburgh Fringe last year, garnering four and five-star reviews, the Malcolm Hardee Award for Comic Originality and comparisons to both Bob Mortimer and Victoria Wood.

Elsewhere, Campbell promises a sneaky listen to the original recordings he made documenting his loss, a signposted sad bit and a song and dance at the end.

On his choice of topic, Campbell says: “As a comedian, it’s taken a while for me to discover exactly what I want to say on stage, but most of that appears to be about supermarkets.”

The Lost Tapes of Somerfield is at Cherry Reds Comedy Club on Thu 5 Feb.

Thu 5 Feb, Cherry Reds cafe bar, John Bright Street, Birmingham B1 1BN
Words:
Bradley Lengden
Published on:
Mon 26 Jan 2026