Comedy / Rob Auton
Rob Auton puts on extra tour show in Bristol due to demand
Sometimes dubbed a ‘standup poet’, the mercurial writer and performer Rob Auton spent over a decade creating thematic hour-long shows, surrounding a different theme each time.
From ‘yellow’ to ‘sky’; ‘face’ to ‘water’; ‘sleep to hair’; ‘talk’ to ‘time’, followed by 2022’s The Crowd Show, he then turned to a more autobiographical focus for his tenth solo show, The Rob Auton Show.
But only now has Auton taken a significant change in direction, with his first foray into long-form storytelling.
Now on a UK tour after an Edinburgh Fringe run in 2025, CAN tells the story of a man who was, formerly, “the world’s best motivational speaker”. But as Auton outlines, “then something happened”.
Following a sellout performance at the 1532 Performing Arts Centre in March, an extra show has been added at the same venue on April 18.
Meanwhile, Auton is also working up a brand-new show, which will follow the exploits of an estate agent on the planet Jupiter.
You’ve been on tour since January. How’s it going? Are there ways in which this one feels different to those that have gone before?
“The tour is going alright thanks, yes. I’ve been having a solid time of it. I had a bit of a problematic trip to Northampton and a beast of a trip back from Southampton but other than that- pretty good. It feels different to previous tours in the way fewer people are taking a punt on it and more people are there to see it. I am really chuffed that more people are coming and bringing people who they hand pick from their friendship groups.”
In some senses, CAN is a storytelling and character show rolled into one. What have you had to learn about yourself as a performer, since taking yourself in this new direction?
“It’s certainly been a good learning curve. I feel like I’m delivering a piece work instead of seeing how it goes. This show relies a lot less on the audience. I’ve also done a lot of the heavy lifting before getting on stage because I’ve practised a lot and really spent ages writing it and learning it. I’ve drilled it over and over so I feel a lot more confident – and less fragile – on stage. The more work I put in off stage the more solid I feel on stage.”
What do you most enjoy about telling this story to audiences?
“I enjoy how it makes me feel. I think what a person says on stage is a serious business. If I’m going to be travelling around the country, standing on different stages and saying the same thing over 100 times, what I’m saying has to be favourable to me. I have to love it. It has to have a possible effect on me. I am basically encouraging myself to make the most out of life every night through the words I’m saying on stage.
“I sometimes feel for political comedians when they have to talk about these absolute bananas every night. I think it’s important work that they do but my brain wouldn’t be able to handle it. I enjoy the story clicking with people like it clicks with me as it makes me feel less isolated.”
In the writing and performing process, how did you navigate any tension arising between the need to build authentic characterisation, analogy, and a desire to make your audience laugh?
“Err, good question. I don’t know.
“That’s not me trying to be clever or lazy. I guess I’ve been doing this for a while now and I’ve picked up some good habits maybe. Through doing work-in-progress shows you figure out where you need an emotion to sit. Also every audience is different; I can never be fully sure as to how they will react to a certain bit so I have to try to take it out of their hands. The other night this guy really laughed when I was talking about war. Not in a funny way. There’s some characters about.”
While touring CAN, you’re working on your next solo show, JUPITER. What can you tell us about it?
“It’s a story about me being an estate agent on the planet Jupiter. A love letter to Earth. I’m enjoying testing some bits out on this tour. The writing and learning is a really challenging yet enjoyable part of the process.”
You’re coming back to Bristol again, having sold out your initial tour show. Do you feel a natural affinity for the city? How are you planning to spend your time when you’re back?
“I’ve had some absolutely belting times in Bristol and loved doing this show in your city. I think people are unafraid to go off piste in live performance situations. They are good explorers of shows and silences. I’ll possibly go to Cafe Nero near the venue but that’s as much of the city I’ll get to see unfortunately.”
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Rob Auton: CAN (extra show) is at 1532 Performing Arts Centre on April 18 at 7.30pm. Tickets are available at www.1532bristol.co.uk.
Main photo: Matt Stronge
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