DVD Review: Ross Noble - Things
Published: Wednesday 1st December 2010
The word "random" is much overused these days. Like the word "surreal", people tend to use it to describe anything even slightly odd or unusual.
Well, let's make no mistake here. Ross Noble is incredibly random. While we're all aware it's a common comedic trick to appear spontaneous when in fact you've spent months painstakingly crafting every last word of a show, Noble really goes the extra mile to give the impression he's making everything up as he goes along. If he isn't being spontaneous, then he does the best job of pretending to that your reviewer recalls.
Indeed, this Manchester performance must rank as one of the most relentless torrents of endlessly energetic stand-up performances I have ever seen on film. Noble's topic is "things" and the title certainly covers the subject thoroughly. Just as Seinfeld is frequently described as "a show about nothing", Noble's show is literally about nothing at all. While pineapples and supermarket checkouts do seem to feature prominently, it's impossible to account for most of what happens during the performance.
What it most definitely is, however, is very funny. Although be warned: it is actually surprisingly tiring to watch. Noble goes on relentlessly from start to finish, dancing manically round the stage and having an interval almost an hour in, at about the same point many such comedy acts would be coming to an end.
With a show hitting the two hour mark, Noble and Jimmy Carr both rank highly amongst the best value comedy stand-up DVD releases of 2010... Which wouldn't count for much if Noble wasn't one of the best stand-ups currently on the circuit. Which he is. How random.
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