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Evening Standard rating
Ricky's comedy doesn't stand up
Brian Donaldson, Evening Standard 9 Jan 2007
In the summer of 2005, a Time Out list of London's hottest comedy talent plonked Ricky Gervais firmly at the top. With almost admirable restraint, this is possibly the only accolade not announced to the throng as Gervais prepares to make his Stars In Their Eyes-style entrance for the opening night of his Fame tour in Glasgow.
By now, we probably all know that Gervais has broken records for DVD sales of The Office and podcast downloads of his ramblings with messrs Merchant and Pilkington. And the many Baftas and couple of Golden Globes point to his iconic status in the UK and the massive inroads he's made into America's cultural psyche: his Wife Swap-esque script and appearance on The Simpsons was surely one of the TV highlights of 2006.
Yet after an hour of chit chat about his charity work (of which he's done quite a lot, thanks very much), ME and obesity ("not diseases") and Stephen Hawking ("he's always getting into my stand-up"), it becomes painfully clear that Gervais's scatter-gun approach to artistic endeavour leaves only the sitcom writing and comedy acting as unblemished entries on his CV.
The crowd arrived to pay homage but the roar which greeted him was in stark contrast one hour later to the lukewarm reaction for his encore and the buzz-free atmosphere as the audience shuffled out of the auditorium. Moments earlier, we sat in amazement as Gervais raved indignantly at readers of a certain Sunday paper who misunderstood the activities of paediatricians, as though this was last week's news, while seeing a stand-up dissecting a ludicrous tabloid story about themselves could only make us recall the superior comedy of Russell Brand.
Not that the show is all quite as limp. His tale of undergoing a medical and his frequent, literal trips into toilet humour all play beautifully with embarrassment, the emotion he has used to hilarious effect in all his best work.
The self-proclaimed King of Comedy, robed for a grand entrance in his ermine and crown, has simply draped himself in the emperor's new clothes. But who will be brave enough to tell Ricky Gervais to get his kit off?
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Reader views (4)
I wasn't there, but would love to have been. Ricky's great gift is that he comes over as a ordinary bloke, with, at varying levels, the same hame hang ups we all suffer from; just 'slightly' exaggerated.
As a (devout) Christian, I loved his 'God stuff'. His perceptive comments about creation are hillarious.
Nevertheless, not everything is so good - his stadium performances last year were woeful.
Good on yer ricky - but please - no more stadiums (or adjust your act for the mass audience)!
- Peter Rowe, London. UK, 30/01/2009 10:18
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British comedy has been lame for years since he came along.
- Leboviciab, Ponders End, 11/01/2007 14:43
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In response to Freddy, honestly mate, just talk about something you know about, you seem to be overlooking The Mighty Boosh, The Thick of It, Garth Merengi, a lot of Armando Ianuccis output, Chris Morris, Graham Linehans stuff (Black Books, Father Ted etc.), not to mention a whole load of great standup comedians. Ricky Gervais stands up there but is just part of a long line of comedy that's been made recently in Britain.
As for the review, I think Gervais is imaginative and versatile enough to take it in his stride and tighten up on some of the timing and content, if it was as mediocre as the reviewer says.
- Edd Almond, London, England, 10/01/2007 11:02
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Give him a break British comedy was pretty lame for years until he came along.
He is a genius.
- Freddie Jack, USA, 09/01/2007 16:02
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