Pierre Novellie's Standup Show Delivers Dazzling Gags and Shaggy Dog Stories
Pierre Novellie presents a curious contradiction in his latest standup performance at London's Soho Theatre. The South African-born British comedian protests that observational comedy faces growing challenges in our increasingly fragmented society, where shared cultural references are dwindling. Yet he opens his show with two of the most universally relatable topics imaginable: the creeping realities of middle age and the suburban migration that often accompanies it.
Familiar Ground with Fresh Perspective
For much of the performance, Novellie navigates territory familiar to thirtysomething standup routines. He explores the petty domestic conflicts over dishwasher loading techniques and expresses genuine anxiety about gradually transforming into what he describes as a "crusty old colonel." These themes might sound well-trodden, but Novellie approaches them with such clever writing and precise comic timing that they feel freshly minted.
His one-liners frequently achieve a level of brilliance that elevates the material. One particularly memorable comparison sees him reflecting on his school rugby days with the wry observation: "I played rugby at school the same way that horses fought in the war." Such moments demonstrate a writer of considerable talent, even if his stage presence initially appears somewhat restrained compared to more physically expressive performers.
A Performance That Grows in Stature
During the first half of the show, one might reasonably conclude that Novellie excels more as a writer than as a dynamic stage presence. His delivery maintains a certain stiffness, and the show's structure follows conventional standup patterns. However, this assessment undergoes complete revision as the performance progresses into its second half, where the sheer quality of his material overwhelms any initial reservations.
Novellie's extended routine about a peculiar standoff with hotel cleaners in Melbourne represents a particular highlight. What begins as a grumble about airport fashion choices, complete with an amusing digression about Winnie the Pooh's distinctive wardrobe, evolves into something far more substantial. The Melbourne hotel anecdote develops into a miniature masterpiece of comic escalation, applying absurdist logic to the establishment's well-intentioned eco-friendly laundry policies.
Climactic Storytelling Excellence
The performance culminates with what can only be described as a mock-epic shaggy dog story detailing Novellie's recent house move. The image of the comedian lumbering across London with six tote bags of bleeding beef suspended from his neck achieves a kind of tragicomic grandeur. While this extended misadventure might recall the work of more overtly charismatic performers like Rhod Gilbert or Ian Smith, Novellie makes it distinctly his own through meticulous storytelling and perfectly judged pacing.
There are moments when his curmudgeonly persona seems to transcend mere caricature, suggesting genuine depths of character beneath the comic surface. Particularly in the climactic moving story, he demonstrates that his emotional range, while perhaps narrower than some contemporaries, remains powerfully effective. The exhausted thousand-yard stare he directs at his removal men upon their belated arrival speaks volumes, accompanied by the deadpan declaration: "I'm not the man they left behind."
If Pierre Novellie's performance represents the current state of observational comedy, it proves conclusively that the form retains significant vitality. His show combines traditional standup virtues with enough fresh perspective and brilliant writing to feel both comfortingly familiar and genuinely innovative. The performance continues at Soho Theatre until January 31st before embarking on a national tour.
