When Rory met Ross Noble

Ross and Rory

It’s very handy when the mother of your most favourite comedian just happens to be a good friend of your grandma. You get to sit with your parents, your grandma and your favourite comedian’s mother at his gig at the City Hall in Newcastle. Plus backstage access is arranged so you can meet the man himself.

Saturday night was a dream come true for Rory. He has loved the offbeat, surreal humour of Geordie comic, Ross Noble, for many years. He has all of the DVDs and we have seen him perform live in King’s Lynn and Cambridge. But seeing his new comedy show, Mindblender, in Ross’ home town, was something very special.

My mum and Mrs Noble have been friends since their husbands both attended a hospice in Newcastle. My dad and Ross’ dad both sadly died within a year of each other but the two wives have continued to meet up. They are both vibrant women, full of fun and both keen singers. Mrs Noble is a member of a number of choirs and keeps trying to persuade my mother to join her. Mum, whose past experience was more that of a soloist, finds the group singing a bit of a struggle, so prefers it when they shoot off in the car together and have afternoon tea and a gossip instead.

The gig itself was brilliant although we did worry we wouldn’t get there in time as the taxi taking us was delayed. When we eventually piled into the cab the relief so was so great that my mother was more garrulous than usual, talking to the driver about where we were going:

“We’re off to see Ross Noble!”
“Never heard of him.”

Undeterred, Mum carried on:

“You must have done, he’s often on QI and Have I Got News For You.”
“Nah,”
“He used to live in Australia, but his house burned down…”

At this point, Rory looked at me and rolled his eyes. We were both thinking the same thing. If the bloke didn’t know him from his TV appearances, he was hardly likely to have a sudden clarity of thought with the mention of a conflagration Down Under.

Thankfully when we picked Mrs Noble up from her house, we discovered a woman who was a match for my mother, so the two of them talked all the way to town, giving the cabbie a well-deserved break.

The wonderfully effervescent Mrs N was obviously very proud of her boy and chuckled in her seat when he mentioned her during his set. After the gig she muscled her way through the crowd, waving her ‘Access All Areas’ pass, with us following meekly in her wake. She entered her son’s dressing room and gave him a huge cuddle. We all trooped in and stood with big smiles on our faces, temporarily losing the power of speech. Photographs were taken, programmes were signed and then we watched as Ross, trying to locate a photograph on his mobile phone, was chastised by his mother for not listening to what she was saying.  Just like any mother and son.

I smiled at my boy and he grinned back.