Bedford Corn Exchange
On his last tour, Chris Addison, once a purveyor of high-concept shows about evolution and civilisation, eschewed substance in favour of flimsy observational comedy. His latest outing hints at a return to form. Here, Addison takes on the coalition government, addresses republicanism and sets up an argument about how we derive our ideologies. But it doesn't develop. Addison is casting for big fish – but he's bringing up tiddlers.
He's capable of something much more substantial, but at the moment won't risk drifting too far from the middle of the road. Here, there's a well deserved rant about the coalition, followed by the depressing coda, "Not that Labour are any better ..." – as if his BBC contract (he broadcasts on 5Live) obliges him to be non-partisan on stage, too. Later, he declares himself a republican, then embarks on a routine about how cool Prince Philip is, as if actual republicanism might frighten the horses.
I wish he'd resist this impulse to be even-handed and nice. His standup is far better when the rants cut loose, as with a peevish tirade against the arguing techniques of the ignorant. In another effective section, he lists EU scare stories run by the Daily Express. Such moments reveal what Addison really cares about – and don't apologise. They're more compelling than the five minutes he spends showing us he can do a Chinese accent, the chat with the audience about lies our parents told us – or the endless tittering at his own jokes. He's a smart chap, but he's playing it safe.