In a recent chat with friends, comedian Sophie Duker posed an interesting question: how would they describe her vibe? The answers were unexpected—some labeled her as niche, others described her as intense, but one response stood out above the rest: “Daddy issues.” This candid insight inspired her latest show, “But Daddy I Love Her,” where she dives into the intricate dynamics of her relationship with her absent father.

Duker’s journey into this material began when her father suggested they attend therapy sessions together. “What better material could there be for a comedy show?” she muses, intrigued by the opportunity to reflect on how she sees herself versus how she believes others perceive her. Early in the show, she poses playful questions: Is she hot or cool? Could pole dancing be in her future? Does she radiate “main character energy”? Initially, the performance leans more toward self-reflection than pure humor, but it becomes richer as she weaves her mother and estranged father into the narrative.

Her mother is brought to life with vivid details, portrayed as someone who “dresses sexy, but only for church,” showcasing a fascinating mix of piety alongside quirky hoarding tendencies. In stark contrast, Duker identifies her father as the source of many emotional challenges. This is illustrated through her comedic tales involving an online sugar daddy who turns out to be “sugar-free,” as well as her humorous analogies comparing men to XL bullies. Astonishingly, Duker finds redeeming qualities in both her parents, celebrating their kind of “delulu” self-confidence with genuine joy.

As she reconnects with her father after years apart, Duker takes the audience along for counseling sessions with another character from her show, an expressive Italian therapist named Michelangelo. However, the narrative feels somewhat anticlimactic when Duker decides not to reveal the specifics of these sessions—the very essence that sparked her show. Instead, a musical interlude inspired by “The Candy Man” from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory offers a less-than-melodious stand-in for deeper revelations.

Ultimately, “But Daddy I Love Her” leans more toward introspection than exposure, but it does so with infectious enthusiasm and heartfelt warmth for its “delulu” protagonists. The show is currently running at the Soho Theatre in London until October 19.