Review: ROB COPLAND: GIMME (ONE WITH EVERYTHING), Soho Theatre

“One chance at life - mwah your way through it!”

Rob Copland: Gimme (One With Everything) begins with quite the introduction, with Copland not actually beginning the storytelling of the show for several minutes. Before the show, I had seen Copland doing some warm up stretches, which quickly made sense once he ran onto the stage, jumping around and pulling audience members up to dance with him. The show itself begins with quite a long physical clowning introduction, with Copland almost miming his way through the first several minutes.

Those familiar with Zach Zucker’s alter ego of Jack Tucker, may find similarities between the stage presence of the character of Tucker and Copland, their energy seemingly endless as they run across the stage. Even when he is in the more serious parts of the show, Copland is always moving, a buzzing energy that never goes away.

Indeed, Copland acknowledges the energy he brings to the room, warning audiences not to look directly into his eyes as they will catch ADHD from him. He also introduces one of the best metaphors I have found in a comedy show, bringing in a running gag of tossing the microphone around and catching it every single time, each time expressing his excitement over the accomplishment. It’s an unexpected thrill that one gets used to in comedy, so it was interesting to see it be brought up by a comedian. 

Much of the show focuses on these unexpected moments, especially the main theme of enjoying the “now” versus obsessing over “then.” Copland tells the audience that he is seeking a better life for himself, working a day job washing dishes at a bakery in order to make money to pursue what truly makes him feel alive - comedy. There is also a focus on Copland’s great uncle, a man who fought in World War II and seemingly shared Copland’s love for side quests, something that ties the two together even though they are decades apart. The moments focusing on his uncle tend to be more serious, including a bit with a model plane that quite a few audience members laughed at while I thought it was quite tragic and bittersweet. 

Along with the theme of living in the now, there are also a few jokes thrown in that appear to have nothing to do with the main focus of the show. One of my favourites was questioning the accuracy of the name Mission Impossible, referring to the fact that there are not one, not five but eight, leading to Copland yelling in frustration, exclaiming, “These missions are potentially possible!” Another one about punctuation had the funniest pun of the night, certainly making a mark on the audience. But, part of the brilliance of Copland’s comedy is how he is still able to incorporate jokes like these into his own life, focusing on his obsession with success and how he wishes to live differently. 

As someone who studied sociology, I am always fascinated by audience participation and the different ways that comedians go about handling it. Copland is a comedian who is not afraid to pull members of the audience onto the stage but also to keep those in their seats still involved in the action, including a childish yet surprisingly enjoyable moment with balloons. 

Unfortunately, for a show that heavily depends on audience interaction, it appears at times that Copland struggles to get the audience to do what he wants. While it is understandable that not everyone will want to participate, there were some audience members who had a negative effect by deciding to chat throughout, something I wish Copland had shut down using some form of joke or clowning.

Some parts of the show get a bit repetitive, with Copland repeating jokes that appear to not get the reaction he wants and the loudest jokes coming from the tech booth from the tech, Sam, who does a fantastic job of keeping up with Copland as he runs around the stage and hits all of the necessary cues, particularly those that lead to some sharp tonal shifts.

Rob Copland: Gimme (One With Everything) is a fascinating and high-energy hour of comedy that has audiences wondering what they can do to make their lives better as Copland has done. The heavy dependence on audience participation is an interesting one and greatly affects the rest of the show, a risk Copland is willing to take.

Rob Copland: Gimme (One With Everything) runs until 11 January at Soho Theatre.

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