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Festivals

Lorna Rose Treen's 24 Hour Diner People: A World of Nonsense and Escapism

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Lorna Rose Treen's latest show, 24 Hour Diner People, promises to be an absurd and imaginative ride, set in a liminal American diner where logic takes a backseat and nonsense rules the menu. The show is a love letter to the ridiculous, featuring a cast of eccentric and escapist characters, all served with a side of proper jokes. The show's creator, Treen, aims to build the nonsense into a world, exploring themes of identity, nostalgia, and reality in an age where everything feels online, uncanny, and curated.

Key Takeaways:

  • Treen's new show, 24 Hour Diner People, is set in an American diner where logic is left at the door and absurdity rules the menu.
  • The show features a full-fat collection of eccentric, escapist, and delightfully silly characters, including a waitress who dreams of flying, a trucker with unusually long arms, and a woman who's kept her umbilical cord.
  • Treen's passion for creating "weird women" is at the forefront of the show, with every character she plays being a woman - sometimes subversive, sometimes chaotic, always funny.
  • The show is directed by long-time collaborator Jonathan Oldfield and features a set designed by Jimmy Slim, known for his surreal visual work.
  • Treen is also the creator of the award-winning parody radio programme Time of the Week, which has won several awards and been nominated for others.
  • She has a thriving online following, with over 165,000 Instagram followers and 141,000 TikTok followers, where her viral parody street interviews and sketch content regularly reach millions.

Statistics:

  • 8+ five-star reviews for Treen's 2023 debut character comedy show, Skin Pigeon.
  • Two sell-out transfers to Soho Theatre for Skin Pigeon and a second sell-out Fringe run in 2024.
  • Won Dave's Best Joke of the Fringe for Skin Pigeon.
  • Named one of The Telegraph's Top 5 Comedy Shows of 2023 for Skin Pigeon.
  • Over 165,000 Instagram followers and 141,000 TikTok followers for Treen's online content.

Sources:

  • British Comedy Guide, Best Radio Sketch Show 2024
  • ARIA's Best Comedy Award 2025
  • The Telegraph's Top 5 Comedy Shows of 2023
  • Chortle's Best Newcomer Award
  • The Guardian, Lorna Rose Treen as "a major new voice in character comedy"
  • The Emily Atack Show (ITV)
  • BBC Three's New Comedy Awards
  • Criminally Untrue (improvised true crime mockumentary show)
  • Time of the Week (BBC R4)
  • Jazz Emu (BBC R4)
  • Nora Meadows' Week of Wellness (Katy Wix, BBC R4)
  • Goblin Solutions (Channel 4)

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