British comedian Ricky Gervais has just announced his new Mortality world tour, set to take place in 2024 and 2025. As a try-out for this tour, he has scheduled a handful of shows in small theaters around the United Kingdom. I was lucky enough to get a ticket to one of these hilarious Work in Progress shows in London.
RICKY GERVAIS
Ricky Gervais, the brilliant and unapologetically edgy British comedian, has an unparalleled knack for making audiences laugh while challenging boundaries. Known for his iconic roles in The Office, Extras, After Life, and my personal favorite, Derek, Gervais has a unique ability to blend sharp wit with profound observations on human behavior.
His fearless approach to comedy often pushes boundaries and tackles taboo subjects. Whether it’s through his stand-up routines, television shows, or thought-provoking interviews, Gervais consistently delivers humor that is both hilarious and thought-provoking, making him a comedy legend of our time.
As Gervais mentions early in the show, it takes many nights of testing material to create a hit special like Armageddon. I felt incredibly lucky to get a ticket for today’s show and witness the process firsthand.
LIVE AT LEICESTER SQUARE THEATRE
With a capacity of just 400 people, the Leicester Square Theatre is a massive difference from the arenas Ricky Gervais played on his last tours. Seeing him so close was surreal, especially considering I didn’t have a ticket until about two hours before the show. Due to the strict rules of the venue, tickets weren’t accepted and resold by them, but as I was browsing online, I couldn’t believe my luck and managed to get a ticket.
I won’t go into too much detail about the show and the jokes, but I can tell you it was a banger. I had tears in my eyes and a stomach ache from laughing. The show was edgy, as you’d expect from Gervais. Although it is a work in progress, you can expect some changes as he fine-tunes the material. He worked through his set holding cue cards and was joined by two comedians for some 15-minute sets.
Matt Bragg and Sean McLoughlin both delivered great routines that had me in stitches. It was 70 minutes of pure comedy. I’m sure once the Mortality tour hits the road, it will be more polished, but I was impressed. Seeing a comedy legend up close and personal in such a small venue delivering new material was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I can’t wait to see him on the Mortality tour later this year or next year.
