5 out of 5 stars

Romesh Ranganathan's brings sharp sell-out tour in Cambridge

2
Skip to next photo
1/1
Show caption
1/1
This article is brought to you by our exclusive subscriber partnership with our sister title USA Today, and has been written by our American colleagues. It does not necessarily reflect the view of The Herald.

Cambridge welcomed Romesh Ranganathan as part of his sell-out 'Romesh Will Change Your Life' tour, with the evening proving to be anything but a conventional comedy show.

A live DJ, a sell-out audience and a comedian with absolutely no intention of playing it safe, the TV star delivered an evening of sharp wit, awkward truths and wonderfully self-deprecating humour.

Before the, a live DJ set was accompanied by various clips from Romesh's television appearances, including Rob & Romesh and his recent winning moment on Celebrity Traitors.

It was an unconventional opening, but one that immediately established the atmosphere of the evening.

From family life and relationships to racism, immigration and wider social issues, no subject was entirely off limits.

Romesh moved effortlessly between everyday observations and contentious topics, delivering his trademark dry humour with a healthy dose of self-deprecation.

Romesh Ranganathan on the Cambridge Corn Exchange stage (Image: Angela Smith)

He also addressed the recent controversy surrounding his BBC TV advert "What has the BBC ever done for me", which attracted online criticism and abuse directed at both him and his wife.

Rather than shy away from the subject, he used it as another opportunity to expose the absurdities of online outrage and the world of keyboard warriors.

However, some of the evening's biggest laughs came when Romesh turned his attention closer to home.

Joking about being fed up with seeing himself on television, he launched into imagined stand-up performances by his wife and son.

His ability to impersonate his own family, while simultaneously making himself the butt of the joke, proved a particular highlight, generating some of the most raucous laughter of the night.

He weaved jokes about his childhood trauma and his womanising dad into a therapy-themed narrative, which made it feel as though he was baring his soul on stage under the guise of comedy.

It is this willingness to ridicule himself, alongside his sharp observations and unapologetic approach to difficult subjects, that makes Romesh such an engaging performer.

'Will Change Your Life' may be a bold promise, but if the measure is an evening of laughter, uncomfortable truths and refreshingly honest humour, Cambridge certainly got its money's worth.

Get involved
with the news

Send your news & photos