Geoff Norcott (he/him): Basic Bloke
Roses Theatre, Tewkesbury – 29th February 2024
Dressed in his blue Fred Perry polo, straight leg jeans and trainers – an outfit he appears to have worn since 2018 according to Youtube – Geoff Norcott called by on his way to Tesco Metro and someone handed him a mic. Norcott declares from the outset he has size 9 feet, weighs 13st, is 5.9 tall, thus informing us he is Mr. Median, oh, and he prefers Indian food. Not one to curry favour, Norcott just needs you to know he is a Basic Bloke.
The premise of the show is Norcott, shines an ever-ready bike light from the 70s, on the mores and nuances of modern society…all from a “blokey” perspective. All the while cycling no-handed for the sheer hell of it!
Billed as a right-wing comedian, Norcott focused on British politics and was quick to address the Conservative party and their performance since achieving that majority- 14 years ago. Consequently, the laughs were liberally bandied around like three word slogans and pitiful excuses. For a right leaning comedian, the Tory party came under much scrutiny and questioning. Exploring Liz Trusses recent “comeback” triggered the punchline…“you just have to look at my mortgage”; banking cumulative laughter as a result of the joke. Moreover, the Lib Dems were dissected and the line about mimicking Ed Davey “wouldn’t achieve a laugh as you don’t know who is, or what he stands for,” brought a moment of contemplative chuckles. The method-acting impression of Starmer brought much mirth to this comedy hustings.
What Geoff Norcott lacks in stagecraft he makes up for in pantomime accents and bar-room mimicry.
The second part of the show allowed Norcott to address what he perceives as the social injustices foisted on men. Judging by the response in the room he is not alone.
Much of the comedy offered was the considered reverse of the accepted norm. Offering up the observation that Huw Edwards and Schofield were not paedophiles but “just patient with their choices”, caused much hand-over-the-mouth and guarded sniggering. The cautionary line from Schofield, “What he did was unwise but not illegal” was mined for all its comedy worth.
Somewhat inevitably, the biggest guffaws of the night were reserved for “knob gags”. Norcott is able to stumble elegantly between quasi-serious debate and pub-toilet rhetoric with relative ease. When talking about the power of women’s bodies being greater than any males, the audience rose to the image of his wife’s breasts defusing an argument. The feminist theory of the male-gaze descended into braying laughter at his wife shaking her breasts in his face. I won’t ruin the final punchline for you.
Perhaps, not as punchy as Geoff Norcott or many others believe, however, there is clearly an audience for his comedy. Let’s be honest it’s not illegal, perhaps unwise at times but not illegal. As one long-time friend confessed in the foyer afterwards…”it’s just great to hear a non-PC comedian.” Indeed, way back, if you saw nothing wrong with giving a croggy, fixed playing cards to your bike forks with pegs and always cycled at night without lights, well perhaps, Geoff Norcott is for you.
By: Swilgate Scuttler