“A genuine original…Poetical, philosophical, humane, completely charming and funny to boot”
The Guardian
“He is entirely compelling to watch…I’m not entirely sure what it is but it’s great and it wallops you in the belly”
Daniel Kitson
“a unique experience…funny, baffling and deeply moving”
The Telegraph
“Few artists have ever managed to consistently provide me with such joy and pleasure as Rob Auton”
Scroobius Pip
“we need him”
The Scotsman
Following a critically acclaimed, sell out run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, award-winning stand-up comedian and poet Rob Auton will take his latest hour The Hair Show on his biggest nationwide tour to date from 31st January, with a six-night run at London’s Soho Theatre from 9th to 14th April.
The Hair Show sees Rob turning an introspective eye to the world of hair, having committed to suffering for his art by leaving his hair and beard uncut from September 2016 until he has performed the show for the final time in May 2018. Suitable for anyone who has, or has had, hair or hairs, The Hair Show is an exploration into the importance of appearance and how people react to someone who looks like he has checked out. It is the latest in a series of shows which has seen Rob unmasking the everyday poetry of seemingly mundane subjects, including sleep, water, faces, the sky and the colour yellow. Over the last six years Rob’s critically acclaimed shows have elevated him to the paradoxical position of being one of the most popular cult acts on the Fringe, with fans queuing out of the door to secure a spot in the audience, packing out the (literally) underground Banshee Labyrinth from 2012 to 2016 before moving to Just the Tonic for 2017. He also performed as part of the Best of Edinburgh 2017 show at this year’s Fringe, curated by the BBC.
What the press has said about The Hair Show
“’The Hair Show’ is delightful, funny and unique, and underlines Auton’s talent”
Chortle
“His delicate turn of phrase is a delight to hear and he has a truly unique voice, which, among the hundreds of acts at the Fringe, is no mean feat” – Recommended Show
British Comedy Guide
“Auton is a generous, charming performer, with a strong fan base, but if you’re new to his work, ‘The Hair Show’ is an excellent start. It’s a warm, wonderful hour that proves there’s no one quite like him”
★★★★
The List
“Not many comedians could pen and perform sixty minutes’ worth of material about hair. Then again, Auton isn’t like many comedians. A totally captivating stage presence and a set brimming with clever material about something many of us have (but few of us ever think about) helps him makes his mark as a unique, analytical and, of course, extravagantly bearded comedian”
★★★★
Edinburgh Festivals Magazine
One To Watch – ★★★★
Fest
Editor’s Award winner – ★★★★
Three Weeks
Included in ‘Best Jokes of the Fringe’
The i
★★★★
Broadway Baby
★★★★
Fresh Fringe
★★★★
Darkchat
York-born Rob has continued to build an audience through having ideas, writing them down and standing up and saying things at comedy, poetry and theatre nights since quitting his job in advertising in 2008. Rob is a member of celebrated performance collective Bang Said the Gun whose shows around the country have been declared the best poetry night in the UK by the Times, with appearances from some of the biggest names in poetry including Kate Tempest, Sir Andrew Motion, Roger McGough, Tim Key and Holly McNish. Rob recently released a spoken word album, At Home With Rob, on Scroobius Pip’s record label Speech Development Records, sitting alongside three collections of writing and illustrations published by Burning Eye books, and a series of short films based on his poetry shown on Channel 4. Earlier this year Rob appeared on The Russell Howard Hour (Sky One) and his performance at Festival Number 6 was broadcast on Sky Arts.
Rob has been shortlisted for the prestigious Spoken Word Award by the Arts Foundation, and received a Best Short Film nomination for the The Peamaster (which he co-wrote and starred in) at the Milan Film Festival, as well as winning the Three Weeks Editor’s Award at this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe. He was Glastonbury Festival’s official Poet in Residence in 2014, and in 2013 he won the Dave Funniest Joke of The Fringe award with a gag about Chinese Wispas. TV’s Vanessa Feltz declared the joke in question to be “just sad”, a quote that will stick with Rob forever.
For the full list of tour dates see: www.robauton.co.uk
For more information contact: Nathan Dean or Victoria Wedderburn at Avalon on 0207 598 7222 or [email protected] / [email protected]
