Rob Beckett, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury - review
With his gleaming teeth and his charming smile Rob Beckett bounced onto the stage at the Theatre Severn in Shrewsbury on Tuesday night.
Beckett might just bee the happiest bloke in comedy, and you can tell that he is genuinely having a great time while performing.
Having seen him appear on numerous TV panel shows such as Would I Lie To You?, 8 Out Of 10 Cats and Cats Does Countdown and Mock The Week, I was intrigued to see what his stand-up show 'Mouth of the South' was like.
From the first line to the last, Beckett went down a storm.
His comic timing is perfect, and his tales are so relatable to things which you everyone encounters in everyday life.
"Who has a ladder? Take a chance on a rickety chair like the rest of us," said Beckett, while describing his jealousy of those who are good at DIY.
"I've just got a Spiderman lunchbox with a screwdriver inside," he said.
He even learned what a car port was from one audience member.
"Where am I? Is this a real thing? Why not just call it a roof?," he joked.
Beckett talked of his love for his "legend" of a tumble dryer, due to its simple on/off setting, and his loathing of the "arrogant" washing machine with its temperamental locking mechanism.
"Google it," he kept jabbing at an 18-year-old on the front row when reminiscing about old songs you would dance to in nightclubs, pagers and dial-up internet.
Poking a bit of fun at The Buttermarket, Pussycats Nightclub in Telford and the devastation at the closing down of Shrewsbury's McDonald's, Beckett had the crowd in the palm of his hand.
Shrewsbury has become a bit of a hub for comedy in the last year or two, with numerous big acts passing through the town - and Beckett is up there with some of the best I've seen.
By Nathan Rowden
