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John Bishop: Stick Your Job Up Your Arse
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Show Details
John Bishop: Stick Your Job Up Your Arse
Show type: Edinburgh Fringe 2007
Starring Comic:
John Bishop

John Bishop: Stick Your Job Up Your Arse


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Description

Would you leave a successful career to try and make people laugh for a living? John did.

Until this year he worked in a lucrative Marketing job during the day and spent his nights moonlighting in the world of comedy. Now he has finally taken that long-awaited leap of faith, handed in his notice and become a full-time stand-up.

And let’s face it, if John won so many awards when comedy was just a hobby, he’s going to be unstoppable now he has to be funny to feed the kids.

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Reviews

Original Review:

Show Rating:John Bishop: Stick Your Job Up Your Arse rated 3/5

John Bishop used to have a high-flying marketing job with a pharmaceutical company, earning him a good salary, a stable family life and a yeti-sized carbon footprint as he jetted around the world selling drugs that stopped the body rejecting organs.

Then he discovered stand-up… and, well, life’s no longer what it used to be.

This simple tale isn’t an obvious candidate for a full-length show, at least not when you’re competing for attention against hundreds of other Fringe comedians, almost all of whom would have jacked in some job or another to pursue the dream, even if it wasn’t such a successful career.

But that’s to underestimate Bishop’s skill as a storyteller. You can see why he did so well in sales, as he’s instantly likeable, a natural charmer and makes effortlessly easy connections with people – and that includes audiences.

He hangs various oblique anecdotes onto this autobiographical narrative, often very slight incidents but engagingly told. Being upgraded to first class on a transatlantic flight, for instance, or simply getting envious of a guy in a sports car, with pneumatic blonde passenger, and thinking: ‘You stole my life…’

This show is as much about his relationship with his family as it is about his relationship with comedy, and the two are inextricably intertwined. His settled life of cosy domesticity with his three small children was torn apart when his wife sought a separation – and it was only then that Bishop fell, accidentally, into stand-up. It proved a Damascene moment.

His story is well-constructed, satisfyingly complete and remarkably focussed for a comic who often has a tendency to meander. Yet while Bishop is always enjoyable company, the show in many ways still seems under-powered, perhaps because of the relative simplicity of his tale of epiphany or perhaps because strong punchlines only come along once in while.

Reviewed by: Steve Bennett
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Comments

Saw this show in Bath, with a very atypical comedy audience. John coped well and seemed to win over almost all of the crowd. Warm and funny, very enjoyable.

fi, May 2008

One of the best comedians I have seen in last 10 years. I go to a comedy gig about once a month and I have been to edinburgh three times in last five years. He is like sitting in the pub or having a cup of tea with a mate and is just hilarious. This was the fourth time I saw him and he was on top form.

Alex Campbell, April 2008

I saw the preview. The guy was likeable , and funny. I laughed for most of the hour. At the end I didn't like it. I still don't know what that means.

Andy Barr, August 2007

A fantastic show. John creates a great atmosphere, where you're all just mates sat around having a laugh. It's an hilarious feelgood show that takes a refreshingly uncynical look at life, and is a perfect wind-down after a long day.

Ian Robinson, August 2007

Just seen Stick Your Job Up Your Arse in Edinburgh.John Bishop comes across as a really nice bloke, his assumption (like many other comedians)that his fairly unremarkable life experiences are enough to sustain a 60 minute comedy show are misguided to say the least.It is a joke free hour and did not induce much laughter - none from me. Put some jokes in, they don't have to be true. As the great Billy Connolly said,when asked what he did for a living ,"I am a liar"

Joe Camay, August 2007

John is now a full time stand up, but there was a time when he juggled a high powered job, flying all over the world, with playing gigs all over the country. Find out how he came to discover comedy, and gradually decide to jack in the 9 to 5 grind and do what we all want to do – walk out the office door and never go back. This is a very funny show, and you'll probably leave feeling jealous of both his old jet setting job (flying business class has never sounded so strange!) and his new life as an excellent stand up. I did! Also features a short film of a dog on wheels – comedy gold. 5 stars/5

Justine_metal, August 2007

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