Stand-up Sean Lock is much more than just a panel show pundit
Expect a perfect mix of quasi-surrealism, blokey bonhomie and stunning punchlines
TV can sometimes play funny tricks on the mind. There are probably a bunch of people out there who consider Sean Lock to be nothing more or less than a panel show pundit. And while he is invariably the best thing about said quiz/game affairs, this would be a devastating slight on a man who not only can claim to be among the finest British stand-ups of the last 20 years, but also put his heart and soul into one of the best sitcoms of that same period. Given his often chirpy demeanour on the box, it could come as something of a shocker to see him now in 15 Storeys High as the glum swimming instructor Vince. Then again, he is just acting.
The Lock comedy bandwagon rolls on into Scotland this month as Purple Van Man makes its non-work-in-progress UK debut at the Glasgow Comedy Festival. And if that doesn’t make stand-up fans of the nation feel their hearts swell with pride, little else can. You’re unlikely to see anyone else at the festival deliver such a perfect mix of quasi-surrealism, blokey bonhomie and stunning punchlines.
King’s Theatre, Glasgow, Tue 19 Mar.