Rhys James is going on a short book tour to promote his first book – ‘You’ll Like It When You Get There’ . It's a non-fiction book about dread and not wanting to do things, so it’s sort of mad he’s going on tour to bang on about it.
With the book set for release on 14th August (published by Wildfire, £22), Rhys is putting on an accompanying series of 8 book tour shows (12th Aug – 24th Sept), including a stop off at the Edinburgh Fringe (Monkey Barrel, 12th Aug), and a publication day event at London’s Leicester Square Theatre (14th Aug).
Join Rhys for an evening ‘in conversation’ with one of his comedy cohorts (Wang, Rosenthal, Graham, Adefope etc.), plus some bonus poetry, an embarrassing photo and the chance to get your book signed at the end by the man himself. That man being Rhys. Tickets, as well as ticket/book combos for certain venues are on sale now at showandtellpresents.com.
Rhys said: “If you’ve ever celebrated plans being cancelled with an Andy Murray fist pump, secretly prayed for another lockdown, attempted to start your own nickname, or tried – in vain – to control the outcome of everything you do, then welcome to the club. We close early, obviously.”
About The Book:
Rhys has lived his entire life with a backdrop of dread. As a child, the sentence he feared most was “come downstairs to say hello”. Age 5 he feigned injury to avoid dancing at a wedding, and 25 years later, he celebrated when the venue set on fire moments before what would’ve been the biggest gig of his life.
‘You’ll Like It When You Get There’ is a guide to life from someone who doesn’t want to do anything, and an exploration of why you possibly shouldn’t either. Join Rhys as he avoids not just social engagements but big life milestones too, like getting married and having children. A deep dive into regret, humiliation, failure and pretending to be French for personal gain. From the Wild West of early internet chatrooms to the sticky circus of the Kavos strip, from redesigning therapy after completing it in just four sessions, to having a full existential breakdown when a Buddhist monk asks him for 5 stars on TripAdvisor.
You’ll Like It When You Get There is at once hilarious, insightful and inspiring – even if what it’s inspiring you to do is absolutely nothing. This is the introvert’s manifesto, the overthinker’s dossier, the diary of a wimpy kid.
Rhys has appeared on QI (BBC), Live At The Apollo (BBC) and Mock The Week (RIP). Rhys’s BBC Radio 4 series Rhysearch was nominated for a couple of awards and his live stand-up DVD Spilt Milk sold out in just 94 minutes. There was one copy.
Picture: Matt Crockett
RHYS JAMES – YOU’LL LIKE IT WHEN YOU GET THERE 2025 UK BOOK TOUR
LISTINGS
8 Dates: Tuesday 12th August – Wednesday 24th September 2025
Pricing for tickets only or ticket & book combos (where available) included below.
Tickets on sale at: showandtellpresents.com
FEBRUARY 2026
Tuesday 12th August 2025
Edinburgh, Monkey Barrel (10am)
(£14 ticket)
Thursday 14th August 2025
London, Leicester Square Theatre (9:30pm)
020 7734 2222
(£19 ticket, £37 book & ticket)
MARCH 2026
Tuesday 3rd September 2025
Birmingham, Glee Studio (7:30pm)
0871 472 0400 (£14 ticket, £32 ticket and book)
Monday 8th September 2025
Cambridge, Junction (7:30pm)
01223 511 511 (£14 ticket, £32 ticket and book)
Tuesday 9th September 2025
Bristol, The Wardrobe (7:30pm)
0117 373 8199 (£15 ticket, £33 ticket and book)
Friday 12th September 2025
Oxford, The North Wall (7:30pm)
01865 319 450 (£17 ticket)
Wednesday 17th September 2025
Manchester, Fairfield Social Club (7:30pm)
0161 302 3084 (£14 ticket, £32 ticket and book)
Wednesday 24th September 2025
Norwich, Playhouse (7:30pm)
01603 630 000 (£15 ticket)
