Jon Richardson: Nidiot?

Nidiot: noun a person who is or should be happy and deliberately screws it up.

I spent the evening at the opening night of Jon Richardson's new Nidiot tour. He was obviously nervous and who can blame him? Kings Lynn presented him with a tough crowd· it was a small theatre and the people who filled it were, on the most part, quieter and less interactive than Richardson would probably have liked. Attempting to banter with the front row was a painful experienc which Richardson succeeded in making the best out of:

Richardson: what did you do today?
Audience member: went for a walk
Richardson: where did you walk?
Audience member: general area

And later after hearing the audience member had been for a pint:

Richardson: what beer did you drink?
Audience member: just ordinary beer

Richardson styled it out with a rant about the guys depressing nature and some jokes about the general fen accent but one has to wonder why such a boring guy chose to sit on the front row to begin with!

Then there was the incredibly annoying woman on the balcony who clearly fancied herself a comedian in her own right shouting advice and providing "sound effects". Richardson would that she was trying to be helpful but they weren't really getting on. If he hates people nearly as much as i do, and he professes to, there was more truth than comedy in that statement.

The act in general was a bit unpolished and scrabbled together in places; Richardson himself admitted that he had sworn too much. However, both of these are forgivable considering it being the first night of the tour. Despite the slight roughness around the edges Richardson's natural charm and wit shone through to make it a clever and very funny routine.

A particularly successful section of the routine came when Richardson read letters from K ins Lynn's local paper. This may not work so well in more "average" venues but in Kings Lynn, where the letters included a eulogy to a beloved spade and a letter of complaint about an uneven wall, it provided a comical look at local life and revealed just how accurate fen stereotypes are! 

The second half of the act was largely devoted to his new relationship and girlfriend. Although part of my heart breaks that his girlfriend is not me, it was lovely to see him be so obviously happy. However, he joked that this happiness may prove career ending and it must be observed that he has become seemingly less bitter, cynical and generally less angry than when he was single. Clearly love has softened him up! My only hope is that he doesn't completely stop hating people as a result of his new found love because some of Richardsons best material has sprung from the disgruntled old man within.

It is Richardson's quirky individualism and quick witted responses to slip ups and events which stole the show more than the  rehearsed jokes. He is a naturally likeable man and his awkward laughter and occasional nervousness gives you the urge to hug him. He has also developed into a very skilled comedian and once the wrinkles of the first show have been ironed out Nidiot will be a truly brilliant tour.

If you have not yet purchased tickets for Nidiot, grab them while you can, it is selling out fast. Its a laugh packed show, from one of the most talented comedians currently around,  which would be a serious error to miss.

Dont be a Nidiot, make sure you're in one of the audiences.