PERFORMANCE & COMEDY

Comedy Box at the Hen and Chicken, Bristol (Wed 16-Thur 17 Nov)

COMEDY If there’s one thing for which Rhod Gilbert is known and (perversely) loved, it’s his cathartically furious outbursts against the madnesses of the modern world. So when he begins his work-in-progress show at the Hen & Chicken with the announcement that he has mellowed, it’s something of a bombshell for the ardent audience, all geared up for an evening of entertaining ire.

So there’s relief all round when it very quickly transpires that the old Rhod hasn’t gone far. This practice run for his forthcoming tour sees him on fine and familiar form. Declarations of his new-found calm soon descend into magnificent tirades against everything from train travel to toothbrushes, as Gilbert charts his foray into the world of anger management.

The show, as is to be expected at this early stage of its evolution, lacks the tight structure of Gilbert’s impressively polished finished work – not to mention an ending – but even in this infant form, the show is profoundly funny and is greeted with a bounty of belly laughter from the crowd. And there’s no shortage of classic Rhod devices thrown in - as well as the deliciously irate frenzies, this work-in-progress is peppered with deft call-backs to both scripted and unscripted material, and acerbic riffing with the delighted audience. It’s a joy to watch, and a delight to see a consummate comedian in the throes of developing new material.

This is a compelling and wildly funny show in the making, and once it hits the big venues in its completed state it’s going to be a must for Rhod fans. When it transfers to those grander venues next year, though, it'll be a shame to lose the easy intimacy and caustic but cosy interaction that tonight's audience has enjoyed. (Jenny Crombie)

Copyright Jenny Crombie 2011