Emily Robinson
And so it’s now live tour number 4 for Ricky Gervais, the comedy mind behind the hit TV shows of The Office, Extras, star of 6 Hollywood films, record-breaking podcasts, writer of a series of children’s books and his own self-entitled animated show……..need I go on? As a long-time fan, my hopes were high for the latest stand-up gig and I was not disappointed.
The show, loosely entitled “Science”, was a hilarious collection of puns on morality and prejudices, and was a vast improvement on the previous show “Fame” which I didn’t feel was Gervais’ best. This show was right back up there and the stories including a Ken Dodd gig and some walking toucans had me laughing out loud for the full hour and a half of performance and the friend who I went with actually cried!
The set of Frankenstein’s laboratory I thought was slightly unnecessary and disappointingly not linked to any of the gags but the use of the overhead screen with comically large pointer really added to the audience involvement during the story-time episode of Noah’s Ark. Although a slight copy of the bible sketch from “Animals” it was comedy genius and even worth the craned neck from the front row I’m sure.
There aren’t many performers who can claim that although Wembley’s a good gig, they’re “using it as a warm-up to Madison Square Gardens” but his playful arrogance is strangely charming and in some ways thoroughly deserved. A return to the best for Gervais. Bloody brilliant!
4.5/5
