A mini heatwave may have swept over the North East at the weekend, but the hottest ticket in town was for Welsh comedian Rhod Gilbert's new stand-up show at the Sunderland Empire. Friday’s performance on Wearside was followed by a date at the O2 City Hall in Newcastle on Saturday evening. The comedian extraordinaire is on tour with his show Rhod Gilbert and the Giant Grapefruit.
A run which will see the artist on the road well into 2025. Rhod has returned to the stage just eighteen months after his cancer diagnosis. In a recent interview with the writer, he said: “If you told me 18 months ago that I'd be back on stage doing a full show about the cancer story – that’s absolutely mad.
A year ago, I couldn't even have imagined being back on stage or ever doing stand-up again.” And with a room full of adoring fans at the Sunderland Empire, everyone was happy to see Rhod back on stage, doing what he loves. And for those present, the feeling was mutual.
The show centres around Rhod's life experiences and journey during his cancer treatment. Now, that may not sound like your conventional stand-up comedy gig, and maybe it's not. Cancer, by any stretch of the imagination, is no laughing matter, and perhaps for most comedians, it would be a taboo subject.
It's affected so many people - it must be addressed with sensitivity. But having endured such a life-changing illness as head and neck cancer, Rhod collated many witty tales and encountered a huge amount of irony throughout .
