They say every picture tells a story but the picture here doesn't really say much about Kim Noble's new show Lullaby For Scavengers. Maybe you get a sense of the performer's isolation and alienation, but you don't see the stuffed squirrel, random scrotum or live maggots that feature prominently in this provocative, powerful multi-media production.
As comedians age and settle down they often do shows about parenthood and Noble, though not exactly a stand-up, is no exception. Except that his show is not about conventional parenthood because he is not conventional. Instead he demonstrates how he has become a parent...to a maggot. He wants to bring it up the best he can, showing it contemporary dance, taking it for scenic motorways drives...
Noble is more performance artist than comedian. But humour plays a big part in his creative process. It's interesting to see how he overlaps with conventional comic tropes. His hidden camera footage while working as a cleaner in an anonymous office has a touch of Dom Joly about it while a section on incest in the animal world segues into a gross out scene (CGI'd I'd guess) with his mother (his real mother?) which might have cropped up on The Word in the 1990s. There is even a moment that has an echo of an old Freddie Starr stunt.
But this is not to say that Noble is derivative. In fact Lullaby For Scavengers is one of the most original stage pieces you'll see this or any year. The main thing it references is Noble's previous work, such as his penchant for using his family – there is some very touching film of his late father here – or talking to strangers that he encounters. I presume all the requisite permissions and release forms have been dealth with.
Noble certainly goes the extra mile, whether it's bathing with insects (he'd have no trouble doing Bushtucker Trials) or living down a drain just to understand what it is like to be an animal. As I said, this is thought provoking stuff. Certainly never dull and technically brilliant, whether it's bringing dead animals to life or constructing beautiful little stage sets for his creatures.
Dr Dolittle he ain't, and this certanly isn't a show for everyone. But on the Saturday night I went the theatre was packed and the run has already been extended. This is definitely not relatable comedy in the Michael McIntyre/Peter Kay sense, but maybe a lot of people – particularly after lockdown – recognise something in Noble's distinctive exploration of loneliness and the need to make connections.
Until Sept 24 then March 15 - April 8. Book here.
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Picture: Joanna Peterson
