In her show 'Dutch Courage' Rachel explores the vast chasm between her British roots and her adopted Dutch home, providing a humorous insider's perspective on the cultural quirks that define expat life in the most tolerant and liberal country in the world. Expect hilarious stories about her life in the Netherlands as a British fish out of water, engaging audiences regardless of where they are from.

Known for her friendly, chatty and relatable comedic style, Rachel has firmly established herself as a prominent figure within the European comedy scene. She has featured in various comedy festivals, brought her debut solo show, “Organised Chaos”, to the Edinburgh Fringe in 2023 and was awarded Best Stand-up by worldwidecomedyawards.com in 2021.

August 18, 2025    One4Review

Dutch Courage is Rachel Morton-Young’s love letter to the Netherlands, the country she now calls home, framed against her British roots. What could have been a straightforward cultural compare-and-contrast is instead delivered as a warm, nuanced, and frequently hilarious meditation on belonging, adaptation, and the absurdities of daily life when lived between two cultures.

Morton-Young arrived in the Netherlands as a multilingual tech support engineer 25 years ago—a job title that promised cosmopolitan glamour but in practice meant the usual grind of headset life. Out of those experiences, and her subsequent years raising children abroad, she has shaped an hour that feels lived-in, affectionate, and sharply observed. The material ranges from Christmas traditions (her playful skewering of Dutch festive routines is a highlight) to the infamous birthday calendars that hang in bathrooms—a custom that becomes comic gold in her telling.

Her themes stretch beyond domestic ritual. There is a frankness in how she examines Dutch sex education, delivered with both admiration and comic astonishment, and her reflections on navigating daily life in “the most tolerant country in the world” ring with both irony and affection. She is, in the best sense, a cultural translator: a British expat turning the quirks of her adopted home into comedy that resonates across borders.

Morton-Young’s style is chatty and inviting, with the natural ease of a gifted raconteur. She is equally at home with expat audiences who know these quirks firsthand and locals who enjoy seeing their culture refracted through foreign eyes. There is nothing forced here; she is funny without overreaching, gently insightful without ever being heavy-handed. It is a balance that has made her a prominent voice on the European comedy circuit.

In a Fringe awash with louder, brasher shows, Dutch Courage stands out for its quiet confidence and charm. Morton-Young is funny, insightful, and remarkably likeable, a performer who knows that sometimes the best comedy lies not in exaggeration but in the lived detail of how people actually behave.

Rachel Morton-Young is a talent well worth seeking out. In a crowed August her show is one worth checking out — proof that the Free Festival still delivers hidden gems with the potential to travel far. Click Here For Review

August 14, 2025    The Real Chris Sparkle

Despite being born and raised in England, Rachel Morton-Young has lived for the past twenty-six years in the Netherlands. Her grandmother lived there until she came to England with a British soldier at the end of the Second World War. Now Rachel sees herself as living out the life her grandmother could have had, if she had stayed! It’s so refreshing to watch a comedy show that’s devoted to one particular subject – a comparison of the way of life between the UK and the Netherlands – because all Rachel’s material has the benefit of being totally original. And the differences between the two countries are surprisingly substantial, from the methods of making tea to the ins and outs of sex education; from the way you wrap a present to the Santa Claus/Sinterklaas rituals. Rachel is a very engaging and warm presence on stage, who puts you at ease and sets up a superb rapport with the audience. She is also a master storyteller of all her hilarious anecdotes. Extremely funny and well worth prioritising in your afternoon Fringe plans! Click Here For Review

August 6, 2025   Fringe Review

Recommended Show

In Dutch Courage, British comedian Rachel Morton-Young explores the oddities and overlaps of two national identities, British and Dutch, after living in the Netherlands for 26 years. What could easily become a niche expat set instead becomes something more: a funny, inviting, and culturally rich conversation about how people live, parent, and navigate differences.

Rachel’s approach is immediately welcoming. She opens with gentle crowd work, asking who in the audience has a connection to the Netherlands. From there, she folds in their stories- not to make fun, but to deepen the humor. In the show I saw, two brothers shared anecdotes about their Dutch-American stepmother, and Rachel pulled those details into the fabric of her set with ease. It’s a skillful use of improvisation and listening that makes the audience feel like collaborators rather than purely spectators.

The core of the show is cross-cultural friction: how Dutch bluntness meets British politeness, why Sinterklaas is both delightful and baffling, and how certain behaviors only make sense when you’ve lived inside a culture long enough to stop noticing them. But the show also moves beyond surface-level comparisons. Rachel reflects on raising her children in the Netherlands, comparing their Dutch schooling- especially around topics like sex education- to her own British upbringing. These moments resonate well beyond the expat crowd. Parents in the audience will find much to relate to.

Rachel strikes a fine balance between specificity and clarity. Those who are familiar with Dutch culture will knowingly nod and laugh along; those who don’t will never feel left out. It’s a show designed for an international audience, and she’s careful to meet people where they are without sacrificing nuance or depth.

As actualized as the show is, there’s still room for growth. Rachel makes occasional reference to her own disorganization, especially compared to the hyper-efficient Dutch moms she encounters. Leaning more fully into this contrast could sharpen her persona onstage. Right now, she’s the witty British woman observing life abroad. But if she embraced a more fully-formed comedic character- say, the charmingly frazzled expat who can’t quite get it together- the show might land with even more punch and personality.

Another area for further development lies in the show’s title. Early on, Rachel explains what “Dutch courage” means- a term for the artificial bravery sparked by alcohol- but the concept isn’t fully woven through the hour. It would be satisfying to see her return to that idea more deliberately, using it as a thematic anchor: when does she rely on Dutch courage, and what does that say about her relationship to Dutch culture, to Britishness, or to herself? The cross-cultural terrain she’s exploring is rich and expansive- potentially a career’s worth of material. This particular piece would benefit from a clearer through line tied to its title.

Overall, Dutch Courage is a strong hour that blends stand-up, storytelling, and crowd-driven moments into a coherent, warm-hearted piece. It would likely go over swimmingly well in the Netherlands, but it’s also successful here- a thoughtful reminder that some of the best comedy is rooted in cultural curiosity and self-awareness.

This show is Recommended for its sharp observational humor, and skill in finding the depths of fun in being a fish out of water. Click Here For Article