Grand Opera House, York – Thursday 1st September 2022
Reviewed by Aimee Liddington
5*****
Al Murray, aka The Pub Landlord, has returned post-Covid to give us a well-deserved humorous run down of the past few years. From Brexit to the Pandemic and everything in between, Al Murray gives us an outlet to laugh at all the absurdity and idiocy of life as a Covid survivor.
With the people skills of a pub landlord and the intelligence of a cleverly crafted comedian, Al Murray welcomes the audience in with open arms and unsuspecting spectators become the backbone of his performance. It’s a talent to behold when a comedian is able to stand in front of hundreds of people and make them laugh but it’s something else entirely when they can do it spontaneously, designing new jokes on the spot in response to hilarious heckles from the audience.
People could mistake Al Murray for being unintelligent, foolish or ignorant due to the persona he adopts on stage but the truth is that The Pub Landlord has an incredible knowledge of the world and people who are in it. This show is relevant to everyone from young to old and is accessible to people from all walks of life. In all times of hardship, communities come together and Al Murray brings us even closer with a mutual mocking of our efforts in the face of a global pandemic in comparison to the efforts of our parents and grandparents in the face of world wars. As well as being an endearing mick take of British society and people over the past few years, the Gig for Victory is steeped in historical and political satire.
The Gig for Victory is packed full of new and hilarious content as well as providing the gimmicks and banter that Al Murray is known all too well for. If you want to be part of what feels like the best lock-in of all time after being locked down for far too long then the Gig for Victory is for you.