Russell Brand – Messiah Complex

Part genuine stand-up routine, part pulling ritual, Brand opened the show by prancing around the crowd, seeming genuinely interested to meet people and exemplifying the kind, welcoming personality that is so often forgotten amidst the controversy and tight trousers. Russell humorously compared himself to figures such as Gandhi and Jesus, but there was some topic-based comedy too, such as hilarious bits on the absurdly hellish office of The Daily Mail, and eloquently explicit defences of racy sexual techniques. The gutsy and provocative performance took a while to gather momentum, but Brand was in sensational, passionate, Bill-Hicksian-bile-in-silly-boots form by the evening’s close.

Brighton Centre, 18 October 2013

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