MULTI-AWARD winning comedian, quadruple world record holder, and self-proclaimed gambling archaeologist Tim FitzHigham enchants the Lowry with his unique show. Quays News reporter Max Merrill went to The Lowry on Salford Quays to see what all the fuss was about…
Armed with a PowerPoint presentation illustrating previous perilous shenanigans, FitzHigham whisked the audience through a variety of anecdotes. Every now and then he jumped off his own train of thought to embark on another, never letting the dust of the last tale fully settle.
The Gambler is not so much a stand-up comedy show as it is a prolonged and colourful after-dinner speech. FitzHigham’s act is essentially a collection of oddball adventures which usually include him making ludicrous bets that more often than not lead to hilariously dangerous situations.
While the audience is never raucously cackling, he creates a general air of amusement and cheerfulness in the room.
Who is The Gambler?
The show started with a somewhat prolonged introduction into who Tim FitzHigham is. While useful to contextualise what is to come, this intro would have benefitted from brevity and indeed the show was much more enjoyable once its protagonist started telling his tales.
FitzHigham was palpably delighted at the prospect of recounting his stories to the audience, who in turn were willing subjects. He looks at the world with a wild-eyed wonder and willed his audience to do the same.
At heart, FitzHigham is a storyteller, a man who roams the land in search for historical wagers he can replicate, or attempting to break peculiar world records by rowing a bathtub to France.
His act is somewhat unnecessarily interwoven with stock stand-up gags that almost cheapens the act. However, FitzHigham remains unperturbed by jokes and resists the urge to force laughs.
A concoction of boundless enthusiasm and constant self-deprecation allows FitzHigham to avoid trundling into monotony.
He is the quintessential “make a living out of your ridiculous hobby” character. In FitzHigham’s case this is researching and replicating 18th and 19th century bets. For someone who spends his entire show talking about themselves, FitzHigham is extremely likable and the audience find themselves rooting for him like an unlikely hero.
The journey through his bizarre betting has several sub-plots, such as an ever-growing list of injuries and, more intriguingly, a coincidental collection of titles and privileges. While embarking on eccentric endeavours, FitzHigham somehow manages to receive the Freedom of the City of London, turns Clint Eastwood into a fanboy, becomes a commodore of British Navy, and accidentally becomes a chess genius.
Tim FitzHigham goes on to reveal that he was a guest speaker at the World Economic Forum, following in the footsteps of the likes of Nelson Mandela, Bill Gates, and Bono. Why? Well, the “The Gambler” is more than just stand-up or storytelling. Turns out there is more to FitzHigham than first meets the eye.
The evening ends on an unexpected catharsis, with FitzHigham finding a deeper purpose to his seemingly frivolous shenanigans. No spoilers here though, go and have a punt on a ticket next time he’s in town.
By Max Merrill
@MaxTMRadio
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