Limboland for stand-up comic

A regular of QI and the star of Black Books, he brings Limboland to Northampton on Tuesday, July 5.

But the new show is somewhat of a departure for the comedian.

He said: “A lot of the shows I have done in the past have been very technical with lots of projections and special effects on the stage.

“But you become very reliant on that in the routine and it means the timing has to be very spot on.

“I wanted to do something different so we stripped it back.

“It feels almost like a cabaret, this show.

“And I have put a lot more stuff about my family in this show. It’s something I’ve shied away from in the past, but it felt right to do it in this show and most importantly, it’s funny. It is something that has gone down well with the audience, who liked it as well.”

From his countless global travels, he recounts the hilarious saga of a disastrous family trip to Norway to see the Northern Lights.

He rails against a world that doesn’t match up to our expectations and contemplates the true nature of happiness.

And no Bill Bailey show would be complete without music, so there is Bill’s version of the protest song, a heart-rending country and western ballad played on a Bible, and a fabulously downbeat version of Happy Birthday.

Bill said: “I think the music livens up the piece and is a different medium for telling jokes.

“I have the best of both worlds. If I was just doing the music, I think I would be very frustrated because I would want to tell some jokes.

“If I was just doing the stand up, then I would be a frustrated musician.”

He is also looking forward to making a return to Northampton.

Bill added: “Sometimes a venue isn’t available for successive dates so you have to split them up.

“But for somewhere like this where it has come because the show has sold out and there is demand, then that is great. I’ll go anywhere the tickets will sell.”

He will always be associated with the part of Manny in Black Books, a show he is very proud of.

Bill said: “I think it is a show which has been repeated all over again and people really like. I think it was a show where we all just clicked and it has a life of it’s own. It’s become a cult favourite.”

Tickets for Bill Bailey’s Limboland, at 8pm on Tuesday, July 5, cost £26 and can be booked by calling the box office on 01604 624811 or online at www.royalandderngate.co.uk.