Kicking off his show by saying ‘I’m not funny all the time, I wish I could be’, Henry Rollins set the audience up to watch a very alternative comedy show. What he said was correct. He told us stories about his life: some of these stories were funny, some were sad and some were completely shocking.
As well as being a comedian, musician, journalist and actor, Rollins is also a passionate political activist and this is a very strong theme throughout the show. He told us about the research he had done on American history. He wants to understand the ‘problem with the US’, and decided that to understand the present and the future, he had to understand the past. Rollins moved on from America to international politics and his travels, including a wonderful sketch where he described travelling around Haiti handing out soap and footballs to people who had been left homeless.
Just like in his life, there are ups and downs in Rollins’ show; there are some laugh out loud sequences including his run-in with and Indian doctor who thought cow urine was a cure for everything. Equally, there are some heartbreaking tales of the people who have written letters to him over the years. If you’re going to see this show, don’t expect an hour and a half of comedy. Rollins will talk about his life and the lessons he has learned - he chooses topics which are accessible to everyone. The show ends on the note that Rollins has complete faith in the human race to deal with the many problems we face and the show will leave you with sense of hope and a smile on your face.
