Comedian Sean Lock waxes lyrical on everyday subjects such as parenting, old age and immigration in his latest tour Keep It Light
Comedian Sean Lock is not known for being especially serious. In fact, it is his cynical but humorous outlook on life that has made him on the one of the UK’s most popular stand-up comedians.
In his latest tour Keep It Light, Lock waxes lyrical on everyday subjects such as parenting, old age and immigration. In a rare treat, the audience at The Lowry are treated to an impromptu warm-up set by the award-winning comedian when the support act fails to appear. Lock freely admits that his stand-up is the product of a hyperactive imagination and the first 45 minutes is more silly than serious, with Lock clowning about on stage, blending wordplay with slapstick.
A slow start sees a few jokes on politics and public schooling fall flat but the energy quickly picks up when Lock talks of his newfound love of ballet. The hilariously funny sketch sees the comedian jump about on stage in an attempt to perform ‘The Princess and the Ant’ in 10 minutes. An equally silly sketch about ‘Wackyistan’ – a country of clown-like people who immigrate to Britain and threaten to take his job – also gets plenty of laughs, with Lock making light of the EU referendum with his physical stunts and daft mimes.
In the second half, Lock returns to the stage for 60 a minute set in what is presumably is his entire act. It is here that the comedian’s famous grumpy and cynical attitude shines through, with his slightly more serious observations on human behaviour and growing old. At 53, Lock is now at an age where everything he does is considered a midlife crisis and the jokes about his bucket list – or his ‘f*ck it’ list – has the audience in stitches. A short sketch on his behaviour on the internet gets the biggest laughs, as well as some quick witted jokes on parenting, marriage and the differences between men and women.
While Lock is undoubtedly a funny man, the comedian does have a tendency to linger on the same subject for a little too long. A sketch on his unique ideas for children’s novels initially gets a good reception but becomes tedious after 15 minutes or so. A funny section on the price of cinema food is also spoilt by odd rant at the end in which Lock ends up shouting on stage, leaving most of the audience bemused.
That said, there are plenty of good gags to keep you laughing and even the more serious subjects of immigration and politics are kept light hearted.
If you’re a fan of Sean Lock’s previous tours or his comedy on 8 Out of 10 Cats, you’re sure to enjoy Keep It Light. All in all, an enjoyable evening with plenty of laughs.
Runs until 11 May 2016
Donna is the Founder and Editor of Frankly, My Dear UK. By day, she works as a digital marketing specialist, by night she reviews film, theatre and music for a wide range of publications including WhatsonStage and The Reviews Hub. Loves Formula 1, prosecco and life.
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