OCTOBER might seem a long way off, but tickets for a comedian’s new show are on sale – and it is the autumn that he’ll be visiting Reading.
John Robins is embarking on his biggest live tour, with a new show – Howl.
He says: “Johnny JR is hauling his old bag ‘o bones back on the road. That’s right folks, 50 MILLION podcast downloads and I daresay the odd Perrier Award knocking about the place isn’t enough to hold this firebrand away from dropping truth bombs left right and centre.
“Well, that’s one way of looking at it.
“Another is that the four years since my last tour left me with a hell of a lot of staring time, and if I don’t start screaming in regional arts centres soon then I may just burst.”
He continues: “If I thought lockdown was hard, then this last year has been an absolute pile of (ahem), I drove around the UK in a Kia Sportage in an attempt to get away from everything. Did it work? Did it (ahem).
“This show isn’t about mental health, this show is mental health. In all it’s rage, joy, tears, anxiety and humour. Isn’t that what comedy is? There’s even a bit where I’m pretty scathing of the disingenuous platitudes of the modern wellness industry.
“If you’ve seen me before you know the drill, if you haven’t hold on to your butts.”
He promises the show won’t end with something glib and preachy, nor anything particularly uplifting. Nothing will be set to music.
Instead, John promises “There will be both bangs and whimpers, it will end on a good old-fashioned laugh. That’s my motto. I’m also trying to edit out all the bits about golf, if that sweetens the deal?”
John has appeared on Live at the Apollo (BBC Two), Celebrity Mastermind (BBC One) (John is one of the world’s leading authorities on the rock band Queen) Live from the BBC (BBC Two), Mock the Week (BBC Two), 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown (Channel 4), Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled (Dave), Stand Up Central (Comedy Central).
He will be at Reading’s Concert Hall on Friday, October 27. Tickets cost £23.50.
For more details, log on to whatsonreading.com or call the box office on 0118 960 6060.
