Scene from Grandma's House

His BBC Two sitcom

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Simon Amstell: Do Nothing tour review
Live Review
Brighton Dome

Strange thing celebrity. As Simon Amstell walks on stage, he’s greeted by the shrieking ‘we love you’s of a dozen teenage girls, whose devotion doesn’t apparently extend to even the most fundamental research into the erstwhile Buzzcocks host’s sexual preferences.

Yet had this show been billed as an hour of existential angst and philosophical musings from a chronically lonely 29-year-old Jew with a predilection for young, skinny, vulnerable men, it probably wouldn’t have been scheduled for two nights in the 1,800-seater Brighton Dome.

Amstell does a fine job of squaring this circle, admirably refusing to pander to his TV fans, yet ensuring the mighty ideas contained in this ambitious show are both accessible and funny. It’s an unflinchingly honest, and unashamedly thoughtful hour-and-a-bit that brilliantly combines the confessional, the aspirational and the intellectual.

Like all the greats, Amstell mines his own neurosis for our pleasure. You might imagine his life is one whirl of showbiz parties in which he dazzles adoring acolytes with the quick wit that served him so well on Never Mind The Buzzcocks. But the picture he paints is of a painfully introspective young man, so prone to overanalysing everything that he can never live spontaneously in the moment. It means he misses out on the thrills of living, but even that provides him more to cogitate upon in this unbreakable circle of angst.

There’s a redemptive tale here of him breaking this pattern, conquering his shyness, and having some fun; but any uplifting moral is tempered by the fact you know he secretly likes the self-diagnosed status of ‘genius recluse’ that allows him to be semi-detached from the world, only able to shine in the artificial environment of a TV studio or stand-up show.

That sense of not fitting in is nicely exploited in the tales from his youth; of realising his grandmother’s praise was empty, and finding little fun in the suburban discos of Romford, yet returning week after week as that’s what social pressures demanded. It’s a situation that will be painfully familiar to so many.

Amstell is an astute observer, not of deeds or actions as a Michael Mcintyre might, but of emotions and motivations. He has the insight of an philosopher, but the wit of a panel-show host – and it proves a thoroughly satisfying cocktail.

As well as the big ideas of love, paranoia and the self, Amstell touches briefly on the insular racism of his Jewish family, sexual hang-ups and the naivety of religion with the dry, mordant wit that runs through a show that’s well-structured and tightly written.

Forget the screaming girls, this is intelligent, grown-up comedy that’s as funny as it is perceptive.

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Loved it, made me have little laughs and big laughs and giggles and smiles.

UpNorthButNotNorthern, December 2009

Ignore the critical comments here, especially Andrea's most recent one. I saw Simon, both at Hammersmith and his preview show. This is brilliant comedy. He's the best, most intelligent stand-up around - better than Eddie Izzard. As for some of the, frankly, homophobic comments - Simon's references to his sexuality are always within the context of self-deprecating lines about his isolation. He happens to be gay. It's not explicit - far less so than Russell Howard's needless boasting - but an honest reflection on his relationships. If people can't deal with that I suggest you join the children's comic who hopefully also won't tax you with reflections on notions of identity, Buddhist philosophy and nihilism.

Mike, November 2009

Saw him at nottingham on saturday night. He wasn't as funny as I'd anticipated. the funniest bits were when he interacted with the audience - in particular the miserable bloke at the front! We know you're gay Simon but we don't need to hear all the intimate details, leave that to Graham Norton or Julian Clary.

andrea simpkin, November 2009

Saw him in Bristol last night. His support act took time to warm up but got there eventually. As far as Simons act is concerned I loved it - as did the audience. He was very witty and philosophical about life, sexuality and love. His act was very funny and at times he had the audience in hysterics. If you want quick fire kn*b jokes then go and see Jimmy Carr, Simon is about wit and proved to be a very entertaining gig.

Daniel Jones, October 2009

First time the audience was funnier than the act. Poor first act and Simon spun out a 10 minute joke last an hour.

John William Palmer, October 2009

Did not now what to expect from Simon Amstell stand up show Do Nothing. I bought tickets as a last minute present for my better half. I thought at first £20 was quite high but the show was worth every penny and more. I have not laughed so hard this year. Earlier this year I saw Michael McIntyre and thought that Simon Amstell was funnier by miles. St Davids Hall was also a fantastic venue as you could see and hear Simon very well. Would recommend to any age/sex etc to see Simon Amstell's Do nothing... So funny!

Kat, October 2009

Very short. I felt really cheated - was it the interval or is it really the end? Well it was the end! Really poor value for money-he was quite funny in parts but not as good as i hoped and not worth £20

nicola, October 2009

Having seen Simon's hysterical show last year, I was looking forward to this, but I was concerned that having had all his life to write the first act, the second one might suffer having to be constructed in a single year. Well it was still funny, not as funny as last time but I was laughing through most of it. But it seemed that I was not the only one in the audience who was left with a single question in mind at the end of the set: Is that it; or is this the interval? It was an atrociously short set, with no encore. We looked at each other in disbelief that he'd walked off at 9:15. The support act, who had also been very funny first time around, suffered with exactly the same issue, his set seemed contracted, finishing as it did about 30 seconds after the last of the audience sat down (although I do think the Lowry should really stop people coming in quite that late). But to compound his issues, his set just wasn't very funny this time around either. Not worth the money, certainly not enough to fill a DVD for Christmas. Should have stuck with Buzzcocks on this evidence.

Lee, October 2009

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