Live

Ross Noble, -

Joe Coyle 11/11/2010

Rating: 4/5

This show should have really been called Random Surreal Tangents.
In front of a colourful self referential inflatable set, with the enthusiasm of a teenager with A.D.H.D. Ross creates his own world full of animated wonder. Bounding from subject to subject with irrepressible energy. Free wheeling through his own bizarre easily distracted universe he drags the audience along with him.

Sometimes frustrating as he never seems to finish any subject, but never dull. To get the full Noble effect you have to just have to go with it. Immerse yourself in his world and you will receive the full benefit of his madness.

After seeing Ross' show in Oxford a few nights previously, I can safely say that only about 20% of the subjects and jokes of that show make it here. This just highlights Ross' genius of creating comedy landscapes in his fertile mind seemingly off the cuff.

Integrating the audience into his act seamlessly through an ongoing dialogue. Ross' mentions that when his young daughter is old enough to ask where he goes in the evening he will tell her he spends time with like-minded individuals, which whilst flattering to the audience, it is apparent that no one quite thinks like Ross. The randomness of his thought processes are a sight to behold.

Themes included in the show range from the mundane to the surreal. Everything from the Pope's visit to the U.K, to why you shouldn't confuse an electric wheelchair with an electric chair.

Much of the second half of the show is taken up by Ross' musings on the gifts fans leave for him at the front of the stage during the interval . Particular hilarity is gained by a ceramic duck and an impromptu call to the Sainsbury's care line.

The show is drawn to a close with a cautionary tale about why you should not fly a remote control helicopter in a hotel room naked. Then with the rapturous applause Ross is gone. Returning almost immediately for an encore which consists of answering questions from the audience. In some ways in the encore it feels like Ross is completely free to indulge his own surreal random tendency.

As Ross says at the beginning of his act... “if you don't like tangents leave now”. The continuous expectation of the unexpected keeps the audience on its toes and they quickly realign with each of Ross' change of subjects and his comedy. Despite the surrealism Noble is never far away from the next joke.

Whilst other comedians tell jokes, Ross' comedy is inventive and he is a master of creating a unique shared experience with each new show. Amongst his peers he is peerless.