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Sean Lock: Purple Van Man
Live Review
Guildford G Live

Sean Lock has built an enviable reputation on scatterbrained ideas he hasn’t thought through properly, firing off the sort of mad philosophies a barfly might come up with seven hours into an all-day session. It’s a creatively cock-eyed way of thinking, which leads him to ideas that are as hilarious as they are fanciful.

But the lack of rigour that he celebrates can also, sometimes, percolate through to his comedy; and there are several routines in his meaninglessly-titled tour Purple Van Man which peter out with a pffft, as he loses sight of where punchlines are needed. Such indulgences are quickly forgiven, however, just as soon as he blindsides the audience with the next original and quirky image from his off-kilter imagination.

When he’s addressing the sort of dilemmas that arise from sozzled conversation, he has an unshakeable conviction that he’s right. He absolutely knows whether it would be better to share a sleeping bag with Ronnie Wood or Jeremy Vine, for example, and has a thesis to back it up.

Yet when it comes to explaining the world to his children, such certainties evaporate, and he’s left to far-fetched lies to explain the likes of gravity or Velcro. Not that such a lack of practical knowledge stops him from coming up with business ideas, which aren’t always as hare-brained as they might first appear.

Of course, no bar-stool philosopher would be complete without a political agenda, and Lock has some impeccably cutting remarks our ruling elite, including an exquisite insult for Ed Miliband. He has some left-wing tendencies, as most comics tend to, but when it comes to crime and punishment, he’d admits to being a little to the right of Hitler, or even Michael Gove.

However he comes unstuck in a too-long routine about Chinese manufacturing dominance and sweat-shop labour that leaves you longing for a return to his surreal forte – such as the single defining routine of the show, about a badly-designed centaur, which he brings brilliantly, and extravagantly, to life in the most unexpected of ways.

When it comes to his own quixotic manifesto, set out with the repetition of the phrase ‘I want to live in a world where...’, it’s hard to dispute the principles of his utopia, however impractical. This is observational comedy with a dash of the absurd, that’s still easy to identify with.

Lock’s gift is that you never quite know where he’s going to go, either in topics or approach, one minute pondering why the meerkat insurance ads aren’t racist, the next suggesting ideas for super-niche radio stations, the next praising the carefree drunk young women that newspapers would have you believe a sign of broken Britain.

One subject he does return to is the sexualisation of pop. Having so effectively mocked Madonna’s aggressive eroticism in his previous show, here it’s Rihanna who’s the example of raunch over talent.

An encore in which he decodes how ballet moves tell a story, complete with far too many clumsy leaps around the stage, seems to entertain him more than the audience; but he’s earned it from the gems he liberally sprinkled throughout the previous two hours.

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Went to see him in Carlisle last night. The show was dire. He failed to raise a laugh in the first half and as his nerves took over he fluffed his lines and developed a uneasy laugh. Almost felt sorry for him then remember I'd forked out £80 for four of us to see him. We, along with many others, left at half time.

Neil, March 2008

I agree with the last few comments, like him on the TV but saw him in Salford last December and his stand-up was rubbish. Material wasn't great, but the delivery was worse because he looked like he really couldn't be bothered. My wife still can't get her head round the "finale" and the Joker outfit. Died on his arse just about fits it!

Deano, March 2008

I went to see Sean last year and honestly felt ripped off! His jokes seemed very old, and he didn't look like his heart was in it. There was also a bizzare bit at the end of his show where he ripped off his suit to reveal a Lycra catsuit (very unforgiving!) which I'm guessing was to be his saving grace as he probably realised that the show was sloppily written, and not well performed either. The catsuit did not do its job of saving his arse...he died on it!

Stephanie Plowman, February 2008

I went to see him at the Leeds City Varieties and felt that his act was really dated and his jokes were lame. It seemed that he was scared to push the boundaries and played it way too safe, unlike Jimmy Carr who I saw the previous night and found his act hilarious. Maybe Sean should take some stand-up advice from the legendary host of 8 out of 10 cats.

Leedsrose, December 2007

Went to see him last night was highly disappointed, love him on 8 out of 10 Cats but his stand up was poor and seemed very dated, most laugh felt forced.

James, November 2007

Was terrific at Cheltenham Town Hall the other night. Much more likeable than - for some strange reason - I expected him to be. must see, if you get the chance.

Phil, October 2007

I love him on 8 Out Of 10 Cats, he makes ordinary things funny

sarah, July 2007

A very funny man, I like the way he sees the world. 15 Storeys High is excellent, quality and class. Check it out - oh, and get your roots - you look like a badger.

Matt Brett, January 2007

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