Review: PIERRE NOVELLIE: YOU SIT THERE, I’LL STAND HERE, Soho Theatre

“This is not art”

What do World War II, dishwashers and beef have in common? They all play an important role in Pierre Novellie’s newest hour of comedy, Pierre Novellie: You Sit There, I’ll Stand Here. The show has a short and sweet description that tells it exactly like it is - “It's time for Pierre to do stand-up. It's time for you to watch.” The show begins with Novellie giving some updates on his life - he’s moving house with his fiancée, and he’s going through the chemical reaction of becoming a father, even though he has no children of his own. 

As an observational comic, Novellie acknowledges that his job isn’t exactly an easy one - how is one supposed to tell jokes in a world where no one has the same life anymore, where it seems like the world is ending? But, have no fear - even if the job isn’t easy, Novellie certainly makes it look like it is, with an hour feeling like it’s gone by within minutes as he tells story after story. He discusses what it’s like being “initially French” (have you seen his name?), how every relationship has a dishwasher stacker and an artiste and even how The Traitors can be compared to a 13th-century mob, hatred of magic and all. 

The main narrative of the story focuses on the changes in Novellie’s life, with him worrying about becoming a “crusty old colonel” as he ages, being judgmental towards the world for no real reason other than complaining for the sake of complaining. Now that he’s moved from a tower block out into the suburbs of London, he feels himself becoming more and more like a dad, becoming even more obsessed with World War II than he already was and judging the parking of others - even though he doesn’t have a car himself. 

There are some killer lines throughout the show, with one highlight having Novellie compare his childhood self to a horse, claiming, “I played rugby in school the way horses fight in a war - not by choice” before going into an extended metaphor of being an African war elephant fighting against the Celts.

It is rare that a comedian is able to reduce one to tears of laughter - it is even rarer for these tears to be the result of a bit about Winnie the Pooh being exiled from the Garden of Eden, with the killer quote being, “Pooh knoweth shame.” It’s only a small bit within Novellie’s rant on airport dress etiquette, but it’s a highlight of the night. 

The ending is surprisingly sweet, with a heartfelt message being expressed even after all the chaos of the beef freezer and turning into the “crusty old colonel.” Novellie reminds the audience that while it may seem that everything is falling apart around them, there is still hope for the future, and it can be found in even the unexpected places. 

Ultimately, Pierre Novellie: You Sit There, I’ll Stand Here is a truly fantastic hour of observational comedy that manages to cover a wide range of topics while still remaining true to its core themes of the human condition and society. Novellie remains one of the best - if not the best - observational comic in the business. 

Pierre Novellie: You Sit There, I’ll Stand Here runs until 31 January at Soho Theatre Dean Street.