This is London Magazine February Edition 2026 - Flipbook - Page 12
ROSS NOBLE AT THE LONDON
PALLADIUM
Here’s a Brit who has entertained
audiences of miners in the Australian
Outback while their colleagues continued
with their shift, shaking the theatre to its
foundations. He has performed in coastal
areas where dolphins swim up to the
stage. He has taken a film crew with him
as he drove 26,000 miles around Oz on a
motorbike, chatting to the locals
everywhere he went. Ross Noble, actor,
homespun philosopher and stand-up
comedian extraordinaire, has come a long
way since he started out as a warm-up act
in the pubs of his birthplace, Newcastle
upon Tyne.
And fear not – though he lives
currently in Australia, he will be back in
London this month with his latest tour,
Cranium of Curiosities.
It’s his nineteenth international tour
since 1999 and not the first time Noble
will have appeared at The Palladium. But
his success as an entertainer derives in
large part from his unpredictability. What
will he say or do next? ‘Cranium’ has an
elaborate stage set, that much is certain.
Noble describes it as having a
‘fairground freak show vibe’ and he
himself enters via a skull with eyes and
teeth that light up, while Jack-in-theBoxes of himself plus ‘a giant spider and
a big fish’ feature either side. Horrific?
Not in Noble’s mind.
Actually, he says, his general way
with all his shows and interactions with
audiences is to treat it as ‘play’. It’s worth
noting that Noble, the child of two
teachers, was an undiagnosed dyslexic
as a child. A lack of awareness of the
condition led to his being labelled ‘lazy’
at school, as he rarely wrote things
down. This seems to have rolled off him
like water off a duck’s back, though –
perhaps because his parents only ever
wanted him ‘to be happy’.
And Noble seems amazingly positive.
Famously open to heckling, he
recognises that half the people in the
front row are desperate to chat to him in
front of a live audience. (The other half –
their mates no doubt – may feel inspired
to sink lower in their seats.) But no one
gets ‘smashed down’ by Ross Noble.
‘The more relaxed people are, the
more they share with you.’ He explains.
That leads him off at a tangent, typically
into a thoroughly enjoyable fantasy that
might weave animal tales around
observational humour about, well, us
humans. Established fans adore him.
Some bring gifts relating to his off-thewall stories. Those include things like
hand knitted sharks tossed onto the
stage, but also (and you can be the
judge of how perspicacious this is)
ADHD medication. Noble is cool with it.
‘I don’t need it,’ he says. ‘Ever since I
became a standup, life’s been great.’ If
you’re not a fan yet – try it. Who knows
– this show could be just the pick-youup you need this winter.
Sue Webster
Ross will perform at the London
Palladium on 27 February & 7 March.
Tickets are at www.rossnoble.com
PUNCHDRUNK’S LANDER 23
EXTENDED TO MAY
Groundbreaking immersive theatre
company Punchdrunk have extended the
run of LANDER 23 at its home base in
Woolwich through 10 May.
A live action video game, LANDER 23
sees the immersive theatre pioneers
collide with the world of gaming as
never before, as audiences become
players in a multiplayer stealth game.
LANDER 23 splits players into two
squads – Command (Drivers) and
Ground Team (Fields). As the Fields
navigate the alien landscape, players rely
solely on the voice and guidance of their
Drivers, stationed aboard the ship.
Communication is your lifeline.
Photo: Lottie Amor
12
The Lander Division of the Centre for
Astrobiology is responsible for exploring
the outer realms of the galaxy. No
division goes further or deeper into the
unknown. Tasked with discovering
uncharted territories, exploring the
outermost reaches and bringing back
valuable data to the mothership. A week
ago, the crew of Lander 23 vanished
while harvesting a new and valuable
energy source. A distress signal then
silence. You are the next crew in. Your
mission is clear – continue their job
without the same happening to you.
Time is not on your side. The
environment is treacherous. There are
hidden dangers lurking in the shadows.
T H I S I S L O N D O N M A G A Z I N E • T H I S I S L O N D O N O N L I N E • w w w. t i l . c o m • @ t h i s i s l o n d o n m a g
