Words: Elodie Marriott

Rob Auton is committed to the human experience. He tells the audience that the show is now a part of both his and our reality and encourages us to give ourselves fully to it. He wears a pinstriped suit and carries a weighty stack of crumpled paper. From this, he chronicles his life so far.

It’s read like a story, seemingly word for word. A sprawling narrative that details the adventures and quirks of his childhood, which he visualises through the photographs he has printed out in large. From his drug-taking co-workers during his first job in Yorkshire, to the advantages of bowling alone, Auton makes the mundane extraordinary and allows us to see the world through his eyes for a while.

Leaving the mechanics of a comedy set exposed by shouting: ‘seamless transition!’ between topics, the switches between Auton’s comical past and his vulnerable spoken word truly flow. He exists comfortably on stage, shaking his head in mock disapproval when the crowd interrupt by clapping loudly at one of his jokes. 

His revelations about life are moving, which is strange as they are explained through metaphors that are as simple as trying our best when we make a stranger a cup of tea. After seeing Rob Auton’s show, life seems a little more magical.


Rob Auton: The Rob Auton Show
Assembly Roxy, Upstairs
14.25
11-26 Aug