Review: Ricky Gervais, Edinburgh Playhouse

Published on Wednesday 26 August 2009 09:44

Ricky Gervais **** Edinburgh Playhouse

THOSE green eyed, envious, bitter people waiting for the day that Ricky Gervais falls down and fails will have been disappointed with last night's gig at the Playhouse because yet again this was proof that whatever it is – Mr Gervais definitely still has it.

With the exception of one or two rough edges which, as this is the beginning of a long tour, was to be expected, this was an excellent sure-footed display stuffed full of his usual smart observations, anecdotes and borderline offensive gags which audiences familiar with his previous three shows have come to expect.

The set looking like a laboratory from a horror flick of the 30s was meant to relate to the show's title Science and once or twice the subject did raise its head but, never one to stay on topic, Gervais preferred to take the audience on a ramble through his curious – in both senses of the word – mind.

From the question of Amanda Holden's real talent to a disturbing tale of a Ken Dodd concert and the actions of Doddy's – well let's just say – biggest fan, and from a superb gag about Oscar Wilde's comic timing to proving that a dog can just be for Christmas Gervais was on unstoppable form.

His highlight, a reading from an old Sunday school text book on Noah, was not only side-splittingly funny and brilliantly thought out but had the potential to be used by Richard Dawkins as a tool against the creationists.

Undoubtedly one day the public will fall out of love with Ricky Gervais and his star which shines so brightly at the moment will fade, but on the evidence of last night's performance and the rapturous and overwhelming response from the Playhouse crowd it won't be for a very, very long time.

Run Ended