Lenny Henry "Still At Large" (WIP), The Glee Club, Glasgow. Sunday 21st June, 2026.

 

Lenny probably wouldn't make the list of my favourite comedians, or even spring to mind when considering such a list, but I have a huge respect for his talent and for what he did with Comic Relief. I was curious to see what kind of on-stage comedian he would be away from the telly cameras.

The answer: not much different. He's got a swagger, fiercely proud of receiving his knighthood from the Queen, and presents a larger-than-life stage persona. His material, though, well, read below.  

The audience is predominantly old and white. I arrive about twenty minutes before the doors open, aware that the seating is mostly unreserved. Inside, I snag a seat at the front corner of the raised section, high enough for a clear view and far enough back that I don't have to worry about being targeted for being on my own. A large screen between the GL and EE on the stage shows adverts for the FANE catalogue of shows, mostly talking engagements from respected journalists, authors, actors, former politicians and sportspeople. A QR code to ask Lenny questions for the second half also pops up. I load the page and ask a two-part question that he later selects to answer (spoiler).

Answer: Catherine Tate off script as Nan, and Richard Pryor. 
He gave Tommy Cooper a special mention and performed an excerpt of one of his routines. 

The first half, which is him doing standup, is fairly pedestrian. As a work in progress, it's still rusty. He occasionally fluffs a line. He is out of practice at speaking for so long, so his throat gets dry. I did laugh a couple of times, much less than the audience around me, who thoroughly enjoyed his material: about being old; about needing to pee; his relationship with his white partner; his early life and his big break on TV. At times, I thought I might fall asleep (It was a long day, literally midsummer). It was nice to hear him pay a quick tribute to Robbie Coltrane (they'd been friends for years, having worked together on Lenny's first proper straight-acting job).  

The second half is more interesting. Largely a Q&A, it's also an opportunity to show clips from his career: on New Faces, Tiswas, Comic Relief and his TV show. Unfortunately, the audio is out of sync with the video, but the clips do have subtitles for us to follow. 

Lenny delivers a soliloquy from Othello, receiving rapturous applause. He finishes on a song as a modern-day, politically correct Theophilus P Wildebeeste, in which the lovemaking has written consent and is witnessed by his lawyer.

Sir Lenny gets a standing ovation, well deserved, though probably more for his life's work than tonight's show. 

I have to remember, though, that this was a Work In Progress. 

Ticket Price: £25 & £2.75 booking fee directly from the venue (on 13.6.26)

Blurb:

For over five decades, Lenny Henry has been telling stories – on stage, on screen and through a host of characters etched into our collective memory.
Part stand-up, part storytelling and part conversation with himself (and with you), this new live show sees Lenny return to the experiences that shaped him while also exploring the ideas, challenges and creative sparks driving him today.

Preshow Music (longer than the half hour advertised):

Stevie Wonder "I Wish"

Skee-Lo "I Wish"

Parliament "Give up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off The Sucker)

Raye "Where is my Husband!"

Olivia Dean "Messy"

Jools Holland & His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra "Skin the Cat"

Muddy Waters  "Mannish Boy"

AC/DC "Back in Black"

Otis Redding "Satisfaction (I Can't Get No)

Aretha Franklin "Respect"

Cheryl Lynn "Got To Be Real"

The Emotions "Best of My Love"

Interval Music (includes):

Ed Sheeran "Shape of You"

Pharrell Williams "Happy"

Outro Music:

Idris Muhammad "Could Heaven Ever Be Like This"