Beckett’s smile at the Spa
For details of Rob Beckett at ScarboroughSpa on Tuesday plus a great spotlight on theatre, cinema and shows, see our guide.
Rob Beckett has cause to smile – his comedy career continues to go from strength to strength.
“I enjoy making people laugh so much. I’m as funny as I can be for 90 minutes. I try and take people’s minds off things for an hour and a half. If you ever stop enjoying that, that’s the moment to give up.
“Before I did stand-up, I’d always been rubbish at everything. Iw as doingall sorts of terrible jobs on the minimum wage and living in a grotty flat in Lewisham.
“Then I started doing comedy, and all of a sudden I finally found something I was good at.”
Rob Beckett is at the Scarborough Spa on Tuesday November 8 at 8pm.
Rob Beckett is one of the most popular comedians in the country. His stand-up shows sell out at the drop of a hat, as audiences are attracted to his brilliant sense of humour, his superb material, his livewire stage presence and his dazzling, mega-watt likability.
What makes the 30-yearold even more appealing is the fact that he does not take his huge success for granted. “I just try and be a normal bloke,” said Rob.
“You don’t need to be diva-ish in this business. At the end of the day, we’re just chatting on stage. I’m genuinely grateful that people come to see me.
Rob, who gave a blistering performance at Channel 4’s Comedy Gala at the 02, said. “I’ve done hundreds of low-paid jobs in my time. I used to work in a flower market carrying around bags of compost. So the fact that I can now put my face on a poster and people will turn up for the show makes me so pleased.
”When I started out as a comedian, I thought, ‘If I can just about make a living doing comedy , I’ll be the happiest man in the world.’ So, as you can imagine, I’m pretty happy now.”
Mention of his audience brings us to the fact that one of Rob’s trademarks is his wonderful relationship with the people who flock to his shows.
The comedian, who between 2012 and 2014 copresented the ITV2 spinoff show I’m a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! NOW!, says that this stems from his natural curiosity. “I’m just nosey! I love talking to the audience and getting them involved. I really like hearing their stories. People do the strangest jobs.
“Last night, for instance, someone in the audience told me he was a change manager at a company producing floret salads. So basically he’s in charge of what leaves go in the salad.”
Another element that keeps “Mouth of the South” fresh is the fact that Rob never rests on his laurels; he makes sure his material is constantly evolving. The stand-up, who won the Amused Moose Laugh-Off in 2009, said: “I don’t want to feel desperate and that I have to hold on to certain bits. I don’t want to be living in fear of altering a routine.
Rob, who also enjoys a thriving TV career and has appeared on such shows as MocktheWeek,8Outof10 Cats, Live at the Apollo and Never Mind the Buzzcocks, reveals that on the “Mouth of the South” tour he will be covering such down-toearth, relatable subjects as holidays, Christmas, cold calls and nights out. His routines work so well because they are taken from his own life.
He is at Scarborough Spa on Tuesday November 8 at 8pm. Tickets: 01723 821888.