Comedy / marcus brigstocke
Review: Marcus Brigstocke, Colston Hall
Marcus Brigstocke is known for his keenly observed political and social commentary on TV, radio and on the stand-up circuit.
Turning 41, however, has brought about a change. Rather than soapboxing about politicians, policies and the political landscape, on the menu for Brigstocke’s latest show Je M’Accuse – I Am Marcus are testicles, farting and an array of personal anecdotes that treads a very fine line. More of that later.
Brigstocke is a self-confessed posh boy. Littered throughout the show are references to his Radio 4 audience who would squirm at his Nigerian accent, his homeboy impression (including a very funny story about his favourite restaurant The Gaylord) and his Goth past.
Unsurprisingly, broad brushstroke accents aren’t offensive. Take the Radio 4 references away and they would be funny. Leave them in and you are often left with a posh boy, seemingly scoffing at the establishment yet apologising for being a posh boy. Rebellious on paper yet, in reality, a little awkward.
Brigstocke is at his best when flagging up those issues that a 41-year-old man notices for the first time. Necessary checks, urination issues, angles from which we never usually see ourselves: all are fair game, and all elicit loud reactions from the men in the audience and nods of recognition from the ladies.
The second half honed in on more Brigstocke-alia. It was here that he opened up, dealing with his 24-stone former self, his substance abuse and three years spent as a Goth. This is where the line came in.
There is a very fine divide between performance and therapy. Brigstocke never crossed that line, but he did at times come perilously close. It was fun laughing both with him and at him, and he was charming throughout – but the material often felt more ‘lie down and tell me about your mother’ than plain, old fashioned stand up.
At its best, Je M’Accuse features razor sharp observations about the finer points of human behaviour and how disappointing we can all be. The rest is guff that feels more like memoir fodder than genuine stage material.
Marcus Brigstocke played the Colston Hall on Tuesday, 9 December. For upcoming Colston Hall comedy gigs, see http://www.colstonhall.org/whats-on/comedy/
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