Tuesday 2 October 2007

Ricky Gervais: Fame (at the Royal Albert Hall)

think I bought tickets to this show back in March, so it has certainly been a long wait for it to come around. The first thing that struck me was the proliferation of incredibly posh people at the Royal Albert Hall, I felt like I was at Wimbledon or something. The last time I went to the Royal Albert Hall was the Morrissey comeback shows, before You Are The Quarry had even come out. This crowd was VERY different. But it's Ricky Gervais! he's not posh! Why do all these posh people like him? Needless to say, we felt a bit dressed down in hoodies and jeans.
The Royal Albert Hall is a spectacular venue, but I don't think the acoustics are that great, it was a bit echoey at times. Where we were sitting also gave you vertigo as we were in the peasants area.
The support act Robert Ince was somewhat hampered by the fact that he wasn't actually funny. He cut a slightly folorn figure on stage with the spotlight blaring in his face, and was only saved by a quite passable Morrissey impression towards the end.
Then there was Ricky. He came on stage in front of his name in giant lights (although still not as cool as Morrissey's ones) and had a giant plinth in the shap of an Emmy. Apparently, I don't know what an Emmy looks like, to be honest. I quite like all his faux bragging about the awards he's won, although I can see how it can wind people up if they think he's serious.
I really enjoyed the show, although on the whole I thought it was less funny than Politics and Animals. There was no point where I was crying with laughter. I think I wanted to hear more about other famous people he knew and the pitfalls of fame, and I think it wasn't as tight as it could have been at times, as he kept verging off topic (toilets, famine, God). However, there were moments of extreme funnyness. I liked him saying he was being nice to his neighbours until they approved planning for his new swimming pool, then they could fuck off. I enjoyed the story of the angry fan coming to confront Ricky and the encore where he told the story of Sharon Osbourne vs Chris Tarrant was very funny, although I'd read about it a little in the press.
All in all I think Ricky is incredibly lovable, and the funniest stand up around at the moment. I think he just couldn't live up to Morrissey (well, who could?) I left feeling the show was quite short, which obviously means I was left wanting more. I don't know what the posh people made of it.

2 comments:

* (asterisk) said...

Hate that venue. I saw the Manics there. Kylie was in the audience. And half the cast of EastEnders. And that Ian Broudie bloke. I was appalled.

lightupvirginmary said...

it's not got a good atmosphere for gigs, has it?
Ah- the Manics. so mainstream now it hurts.