Andy Parsons’ newest tour is called ‘Bafflingly Optimistic’ and, by the end of the former Mock The Week panellist’s exploration into life as a man in his fifties with two children, Parsons is left still baffled but still optimistic that there is plenty to be cheerful about.
The latest date on the tour sees him arriving at the ornate Harrogate Theatre, a venue which the comic notes is situated opposite an M&S Foodhall and next to an exclusive lingerie shop. Technical problems with a microphone right from the off would derail some comedians but not Parsons who takes it all in his stride joking how “we only tested this for two hours before the show.”
However, once he hits his groove, there is no stopping the man who immediately starts delving into the darker side of the leafy town of Harrogate pointing out how it was, for three years running, voted the happiest place in Britain whilst also noting how it has the highest number of drink drivers, and interesting extra-curricular hobbies.
An exploration of the last few years of society, ‘Bafflingly Optimistic’ is a show that taps into a range of subjects that have left the comedian, like the rest of us, feeling a mixture of baffled, frustrated, and annoyed. From the challenges of trying to get a Doctor’s appointment to vegan diets to his thoughts on the last five Prime Ministers, Parsons rolls seamlessly from one topic to the next.
Discussing subjects that have seen some comedians land in hot water, he ponders illegal immigrants, the transgender argument and tearing down statues, before bravely explaining why he thinks a British icon like Sir David Attenborough doesn’t deserve a statue. Steering that conversation into the much darker subject of the recent spate of Police Officers committing serious crimes against women, Parsons lightens the mood joking “The David Attenborough stuff doesn’t seem so bad now does it?”
The thing about Andy Parsons is how watching him admit his frustrations at technological advancements or the challenges he faces as a parent, his experiences and observations are all too painfully relatable. We’ve all struggled to get a GP appointment, we’ve all fought with trying to do something online, and we’ve all wondered what the future holds in store. However, seeing Andy Parsons going through those same issues, you thankfully come away, like Parsons, still feeling baffled but optimistic that things will be alright in the end.
Thursday, 3 October – Scunthorpe, Plowright Theatre
Friday, 4 October – Salford, The Lowry
Saturday, 5 October – Bakewell, Town Hall
Wednesday, 9 October – Chipping Norton, Theatre
Thursday, 10 October – Coventry, Warwick Arts Centre
Friday, 11 October – York, Joseph Rowntree Theatre
Thursday, 17 October – Farnham, Maltings
Saturday, 19 October – London, Blackheath Halls
Thursday, 31 October – Horsham, The Capitol
Friday, 1 November – Hertford, Theatre
Wednesday, 6 November – Peterborough, Key Theatre
Thursday, 7 November – Market Drayton, Festival Drayton Centre
Saturday, 9 November – Guildford, Yvonne Arnaud Theatre
Weds, 13 November – Burton On Trent, Brewhouse
Thursday, 14 November – Stockton, ARC
Friday, 15 November – Leicester, Y Theatre
Wednesday, 4 December – Andover, The Lights
Thursday, 5 December – Cirencester, Sundial Theatre
Friday, 6 December – Leek, Foxlowe Arts Centre
Tickets: https://www.andyparsons.co.uk
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