Tom Stade at Huntingdon Hall, Worcester 17th November 2022
When you have seen a comedian as many times as I have seen Tom Stade, the preoccupation is, will I have anything to write about following another live show? Of course, I had nothing to worry about in reality…
Frankie Boyle, the Scottish comedian, declared unequivocally some years ago: “No one wants to hear a middle-aged comedian talking about his middle-age life.” Insisting, “no one wants to hear jokes about prolific nasal hair.” However, Tom Stade is his own man and in his hands the inherent humour in middle-age has aged like a 52 yr old single malt…stored in vintage sherry casks.
The full-house at the Huntingdon Hall were drunk on Stade’s brand of incredulous observations. With the precision of a pensioner working out their pension he tackled the Aussie Gold Hunters dental records, they/them conundrums and the 1991 (boxed) arse-buster’s true worth. Growing old gracefully is clearly not an option for Stade.
Opting out of avoiding any familial awkward asides we are informed of his daughter’s love of ketamine and his son’s absorption of weed. Nothing it appears is sacred when pursuing applause and hearty guffaws for his jocular barrages. Stade talks about his self in the third person at times to ensure he is included in his controlled rants about modern life.
All the while the knowing and self-aware smile is never far from his lips.
The swaggering posturing, as if he is bracing himself against any new obstacles modernity may throw his way – complements his delivery. The gag about his niece undertaking the simple act of delivering an envelope…and returning to tell him how many likes it had received was punctuated with his signature pose and unblinking stare.
To underline the sentiment, frantic arm throwing urged others on, while he stayed back in time to call his friends “window lickers.” The punchline was emphasised by his theatrical and physical delivery. Thus causing a ripple effect along the pews with shoulders & heads physically shaking as the laughter spread around the room like chuckles at PMQs when the “big calls” are mentioned again.
A big shout out to Tom Stade and the Hall who delivered, on the night, as they always do…receiving a high number of likes as we all shared our highlights on the way out. By chance we passed our neighbours from the pew behind at one point and I enquired, knowing the answer: “How was the night for you both?” The answer came back, “We nearly cried as much as you did!”
By: The Swilgate Scuttler