Review: THE REST IS ENTERTAINMENT, Royal Albert Hall

The successful podcast The Rest Is Entertainment made its festive live debut at the Royal Albert Hall, celebrating a year of podcast shows with a live show full of laughter and surprises. Whilst this live show wasn’t without its chaotic moments, they only added to the charm of the evening.

Both hosts seemed to lean into their instincts, with Richard Osman frequently demonstrating his producer experience, including sharing great behind the scenes information. For regular listeners of the podcast, this would be no surprise as fascinating behind the scenes insights are one of the usual features of the successful podcast.

Marina Hyde was full of her usual wit and charisma, offering level leaded insights to some key moments of the past year. Her pleasantly flustered reaction to the surprise appearance of Gladiator Nitro became an unexpected highlight, leaving the audience roaring with laughter.

Audience participation was a triumph, particularly the cheer-off to crown the greatest Christmas song ever. A live band delivered energetic performances of the contenders, with special guest Alexander Armstrong unexpectedly joining for two of these performances.

The audience Q&A also added a personal and engaging touch, although like many features of the show it felt a little rushed. The hosts were clearly trying to pack great content in as much as possible, and with both very conscious of the timings overrun, the sense of controlled chaos only made the evening more enjoyable.

The Christmas music was the heart of the show, spreading cheer and ensuring that the night ended on a high note. Yes, it ran over time, but the laughter, festive spirit, and playful spontaneity made it all worthwhile. A little chaotic perhaps, but this was a funny, unpredictable and very entertaining show.

Photo credit: Garry Jones