Review: Sandi Toksvig's surreal treat ahead of Wolverhampton Literature Festival
Former Great British Bake Off presenter Sandi Toksvig has served up one final surreal treat with her one-woman show.
The Danish comedian wowed the audience with her surreal stories, humour and interactions with the crowd at Wolverhampton’s Grand Theatre.
It all started out in a bizarre fashion, too, with Beethoven’s Ode to Joy playing as she made her entrance – before the mood became much lighter as she held a yodelling pickle. Yes, you read that right.
The gift, from an audience, started early echoes of laughter around the nearly sell-out theatre – which she described as “beautiful”, having never played there previously.
One might think this would be the start of some jokes – and it was, with some truly purposefully awful ones which made the audience groan, but it some led onto the issue of communication.
“I’m sure we didn’t used to keep worrying and checking our phones – it’s like opening your front door to see who’s there,” she remarked as she began to get into the swing of things, using a power-point display to bring up images to prove her points.
A need for discussion, to be connected with people who are strangers, was a main theme of the first half – with people being urged not to miss any opportunities.
And, at the heart of it, was our use of mobile phones. So much so that she issued a challenge before the first interval, calling on theatre-goers to not pick up their devices, and instead talk to someone.
Admittedly only half did it, although one woman told another: “Don’t do that, Sandi said not to,” as everyone walked into the foyer area.
She spoke about her political career, taking jibes at Donald Trump – along with Adolf Hitler and Mussolini – as she discussed the Women’s Equality Party’s recent election success.
“We could only afford to stand five candidates, so we stood against five men each of whom had an outstanding allegation of sexual impropriety,” she said.
“Four stood down and one lost his seat, so job done,” she remarked to cheers and applause from the audience.
History played a huge role throughout the show, acting as pathways onto a new topic – starting with her father, before moving on to the poet Lord Byron.
Each role the historical figure played, either in their lives or the comedian’s, was discussed in detail – lending itself to a new quip or two.
Later, she tasked the audience whether it was possible for someone to lick their elbow – and asked them to try it.
It was extremely bizarre but something which most members of the crowd got involved in, including those really trying in a bid to win a “National Trevor” badge.
National Trevor, the show’s title, was chosen after a friend’s husband completely misheard the phrase “National Treasure” – and she adopted it.
And, it was at this stage where the audience was asked to get involved to get awarded said badges. Had they appeared on any TV show or in any newspaper, she asked.
You had a man who appeared on 15-to-1 and another who starred in TisWas, whilst someone else had been mentioned on the Ken Bruce show
And, in one sweet moment, a round of applause was given to Milly, a 13-year-old, who was celebrating her birthday.
Not only did she receive the kind gesture, but Sandi called on the audience to sing her “Happy Birthday” to mark the occasion.
The topic soon shifted as the show entered its question and answers period, with one member asking about the loss of Jeremy Hardy last year.
The comedian was described as “part genius, part schoolboy,” by the comedian, who added: “I miss him very much.”
There had been brief mentions of the Great British Bake Off – how she was once mistaken for Sue Perkins and another when she highlighted her own swearing, “she doesn’t talk like that on the cake show”.
And it had all been leading up to a question, where someone described a “rumour” going around that she had left – calling on her to say it wasn’t true, and how to bring her back if it was.
Mrs Toksvig looked around the room, moved slightly closer in the direction of the man who had asked the question, and stated no newspaper had covered the “real story”.
With the audience hooked, she explained: “I did a deal with Prince Harry and Meghan,” much to the laughter of the audience.
“The had to go first so no-one would notice. I’m now moving to Canada and helping them go into protection.”
But, once the dust had settled on her joke, the comedian said: “I have so many other things I want to do.
“I’ve loved being on the show and I can’t watch other people do things any longer – I need to do things myself.
“One of the things is I’m making a programme teaching eight individuals who have never learned to read.
“I have a million things to do and don’t think there’s any disrespect to the programme – it’s wonderful, but I feel I’m running out of time to do the things I want do.”
It all ended the way it began – with Beethoven’s Ode to Joy, with each audience member asked to stand to “conduct” the ending – before the music stopped, leaving only applause for the National Trevor.
Sandi Toksvig’s show, which formed one of the “pre-festival” events leading up to the Wolverhampton Literature Festival, was a hit – and hopefully a sign of things to come over the three-day event, which starts Friday.
