Rhod Gilbert – The Man With The Flaming Battenberg Tattoo

The angry man of comedy has been to Anger Management. Quite literally. Continuing on his previous shows, his breakdown in ‘The Award-Winning Mince Pie’ and decision to start Anger Management classes at the end of ‘The Cat Who Looked Like Nicholas Lyndhurst’, this picks up the tale again of Rhod’s life delivering an honest, humble and hilarious show.

Including extracts from his Anger Management diary – a requisite for the sessions he underwent fortnightly – along with letters both to and from huge companies that had previously been the target of his vitriol, Rhod tells the story of how his anger resulted in a tattoo on his shoulder of a flaming battenburg cake, and the fraught state of his relationship. In fact, this is mainly focussed on the tale of how his reactions have battered what might be the love of his life. Repeatedly insulting his past self he pokes fun at the ridiculousness of what set him off, the new Rhod even has a small chuckling fit at himself – clearly now less agitated and seemingly happier.

That’s not to say the tirades aren’t there. Beautiful flowing marvellous crescendoes of rants and pedantry, waxing lyrical as he barked out old colloquialisms and invented new more colourful ones, egging on the escalating yelps of laughter overcoming the audience. He still has his brilliant delivery, jam-packed with acid and pouring forth a tsunami of destructive poetry.

A fabulous new show, revealing a humbler, incredibly honest but still monstrously funny Rhod Gilbert.

Concert Hall, Brighton Dome, 9 July 2012

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