Following a total sell-out and very highly-acclaimed run at last year’s Edinburgh Fringe, where Tom was rated as one of the best reviewed shows there (British Comedy Guide), as well as a sell-out UK tour in 2017, TOM ALLEN (star of Bake Off: The Professionals and Bake Off: Extra Slice) continues to tour the UK in 2018 with his debut tour show Absolutely.
Soaked in Tom’s signature waspish snobbery and self-aggrandising wit, Absolutely addresses the elephant in the room that Tom is still living at home with his parents, because he can’t afford not to – in Bromley, Kent: heart of leave voters and Theresa May’s Brexit Britain. He’s always at home in Alan Bennett and Mike Leigh territory as he shares with us his up-close-and-personal experiences of suburbia, especially since the Referendum.
Tom addresses the ‘diffilcult times’ we live in – but were things really better ‘back in the day’, when he was a child and you could fit 15 kids in one car?
Tom has recently found some independence from his parents by passing his driving test, but as insurance is too expensive he’s been added to his mum and dad’s policy for their Ford Fiesta Zetec (1.5 litre engine, 2006, five door, maroon, boot doesn’t close). It’s not glamorous but he has been learning how to deal with road rage and motorways, as well as giving lifts to his mum and dad.
Despite all this, Tom maintains that he’s better than everyone else, and whilst maintaining his delusions of grandeur he still manages to take swipes at people who claim to have their lives so much more together than him – as he relishes the delicious details of status, class and the petty eccentricities of modern life.
Tom Allen’s unique style of sharp, acerbic wit and camp, riotous storytelling has seen him perform all over the UK, Europe, Canada, America, Australia and New Zealand.
The last couple of years have been incredibly busy for Tom, with him becoming a household name in Channel 4’s Bake Off: The Professionals and Bake Off: Extra Slice. He’s also featured in BBC1’s Wedding Day Winners, BBC2’s Mock The Week, Live At The Apollo, Extra Slice and Strictly – It Takes Two, ITV’s Royal Variety Perfomance, Channel 4’s 8 Out of 10 Cats and 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown, Comedy Central’s Roast Battle, and Radio 4’s Loose Ends and Just a Minute. Later this year, Tom will be hosting Channel 4’s Bake Off: The Professionals. Besides all this, his weekly podcast Like Minded Friends – co-hosted with Suzi Ruffell – is enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of fans.
SEPTEMBER:
Wednesday 5 Lytham St Annes, Lowther Pavilion 01253 794 221
Thursday 6 Liverpool, Epstein Theatre 0844 888 4411
Wednesday 12 Wimborne, Tivoli Theatre 01202 885 566
Thursday 13 Bognor Regis, Alexandra Theatre 01243 861 010
Saturday 15 Leeds City Varieties 0113 243 0808
Tuesday 18 Stourport, The Civic 01299 823 339
Wednesday 19 Stourport, The Civic 01299 823 339
Friday 21 Chatham, Brook Theatre 01634 338 338
Saturday 22 Harrow, Arts Centre 020 3773 7161
Wednesday 26 Kings Lynn, Corn Exchange 01553 764 864
Thursday 27 Wellingborough, The Castle 01933 270 007
Friday 28 Winchester, Theatre Royal 01962 840 440
Sunday 30 Oxford, Playhouse 01865 305 305
OCTOBER:
Monday 8 Arbroath, Webster Theatre 01241 435 800
Tuesday 9 Aberdeen, Lemon Tree 01224 641 122
Thursday 18 Liverpool, Epstein Theatre 0844 888 4411
Monday 22 Salford Quays, The Lowry 0843 208 6000
NOVEMBER:
Thursday 1 Loughborough, Town Hall 01509 231 914
Friday 2 Cleckheaton, Town Hall 01484 225 755
Saturday 3 Barrow-in-Furness, The Forum 01229 820 000
Wednesday 7 Eastbourne, Royal Hippodrome 01323 80 20 20
Friday 9 Redruth, Regal Theatre 01209 216 278
Saturday 10 Redruth, Regal Theatre 01209 216 278
Sunday 11 Plymouth, Red House Theatre tickettailor.com
Monday 12 Launceston, Town Hall www.laughablecomedy.com
Wednesday 14 Newcastle, Tyne Theatre 0191 243 1171
Thursday 15 Weston-super-Mare, Playhouse 01934 645 544
Friday 16 Newtown, The Hafren 01686 614 555
Wednesday 28 Telford, Oakengates Theatre 01952 382 382
DECEMBER:
Saturday 1 Brighton Dome 01273 709 709
