Russell Brand – Messiah Complex St George’s Hall

Russell Brand’s clever showy-offy show on Saturday night was upstaged by one stunning physical gag.

Prior to his slick Messiah Complex gig – a witty romp through life’s icons, Brand descended to the stalls and met his people.

Clutching a knitted figure of himself given by a fan, he sashayed and stroked his way round the hall.

Until he came to Tariq at the back, sitting on his mobility scooter.

Asking “give us a go, mate” Brand, quite naturally, mounted Tariq and his metallic red motor.

We instantly knew this could go badly wrong.

Reassured by Brand, Tariq fired it up and with the superstar on his lap they sped towards the stage.

Tariq was laughing and Brand’s long leather legs were waving in the air.

They made a tight right, squeezed past the front row then shot back down the straight. We all thought – this might not end so badly.

But then came a cabling hump by the mixing desk.

Brand cried: “Come on Tariq mate – give it all she’s got!”

They made it. And the true comic force of risky slapstick hit the audience in the face.

We erupted. It was a moment of brave opportunism in a world where the thrill of violent comedy has almost vanished.

“That was ACE!” shouted Tariq. It flipping was.

And so was Brand. The brainy/mucky stuff of the actual show about Gandhi, Jesus, Hitler etc, was funny too.

But riding with a smiling disabled man – that was divine.