Robert Newman: The Brain Show, On tour
Every time Rob Newman comes up with a new live show, it is beholden on all observers of comedy to pay attention. Not merely because of his great track record, stretching back to his time alongside David Baddiel in The Mary Whitehouse Experience, but because he sets himself intellectual challenges beyond the grasp of many stand-up comedians, and produces material that genuinely forces audiences to approach the world in a whole new way. Newman’s become known for extremely polemical shows pushing a scrupulously researched but extremely hard left point of view. But in the last few years he’s moved away from that and started tackling scientific topics, one of an increasing number of comics (others include Dara O Briain and Robin Ince) who’ve found the laboratory a rich source of material. Last year, he debunked Dawkins with his own theory of evolution; this time around, in The Brain Show, he’s delving into the inner recesses of his cerebellum with a performance that mixes hard fact with dizzying flights of comedic fancy.
Town Hall, Cheltenham, Mon; Greenham Arts Centre, Newbury, Fri, then touring until 27 February
Paul Foot: A Retrospective, On tour
Paul Foot has always had a huge (albeit ironic) regard for his own artistic abilities. He calls his fan club the Guild Of Connoisseurs, suggesting that a fondness of his work is a mark of epicureanism rather than anything so vulgar as simple enthusiasm. In a similar vein, his latest tour is styled as a retrospective, exhibiting three recent shows like a collection of paintings. By The Yard, Still Life and Kenny Larch Is Dead will run on consecutive nights and all share the Foot hallmarks: a gentle English whimsy in the tradition of The Goodies or the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, punctuated by impassioned rants on the most trivial of subjects. It’s not a package to appeal to the more boorish of the UK comedy crowd, but it attracts loyal devotees; Russell Brand and Noel Fielding are among those who (rightly) rate his work very highly.
Bloomsbury Theatre, WC1, Sat; The Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury, Tue to Thu; touring to 6 Dec
Roisin Conaty: Work In Progress, London
The rise of Roisin Conaty is one of the more cheering stories of recent comedy history. Having spent years doing pub gigs and odd bits of character comedy, hers was a true case of Edinburgh rags to riches. One brilliantly conceived show netted her a best newcomer award in 2010 and she’s not looked back since, becoming a regular on TV panels as well as sitcoms such as Man Down and her own GameFace (piloted 18 months ago and now revived for an E4 series). Her stand-up seems to be an authentic self-portrait: a slightly hapless womanchild who alternates telling-it-like-it-is commonsense with confusion at the rest of the world. This week, she’s trying new material at The Invisible Dot, and while the fashionable surroundings may not be a perfect match for her gawky persona, the intimate atmosphere should make it feel like you’re seeing her holding forth in her own front room.
