After a COVID-19 enforced hiatus, Ross Noble returns to The Garden of Unearthly Delights for another season of stream of consciousness spontaneity and hilarity.

This Fringe, Australian comedy legend Wil Anderson is presenting two shows: one scripted, one entirely improvised. In media interviews promoting the improvised show, Anderson has been asked: isn't that scary, surely you have something up your sleeve? Well, Ross Noble has built his career on flying from the seat of his pants, on head-spinning tangents and asides. Much of the joy of a Noble show stems from never knowing where it is all headed. In 2022, yes there are topical gags about wearing masks, Prince Andrew, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine (which was unavoidable, given Noble's set comprises of inflatable Russian dolls of himself), but each night, at least half the routine will relate to whatever catches his eye, including those seated in the front rows.

Noble's comedic style has its pros and cons. While some comedians carefully craft sixty minutes of jokes, editing and revising every word and then touring the same material for years, you can see Ross every night of the Fringe and still have a laugh. The disadvantage is that not every improvised segment will land, and some might traverse the boundary between good and bad taste. It mostly always works, though, which is why audiences keep on coming back for more; imposing a script would be like taming a wild beast and stripping it of its majesty.