Some of you will now be going: But he's dead..., others will just be thinking: Que??? (unless of course the picture gave it away). Unfortunately it's not some kind of Andy Kaufmanesque stunt, Bill Hicks really and sadly still is dead. But the ghost of goat boy lives on. Not just in the hearts and minds and venom of righteous folks the world over but on the stage of Leicester Square's nifty little venue, The Venue from 1st to 17th June.
Bill Hicks: Slight Return is writers' Chas Early and Richard Hurst's imagining of what Hick's show would be like if he were alive today. To be honest you could listen to Arizona Bay and almost be there, just change a few names. It promises All new material. All new vitriol. all new dick jokes, which sounds good but the Edinburgh critics off its first run were maybe less than complementary. The material has, apparently, been updated again, although it's pretty much a no-brainer to work out what would have got Bill's proverbial in these 'unsettled' times.
Whichever way, Hick's name is still bound to be a draw, and if nothing else it'll be an interesting night out. And since we're so used to seeing Hick's material recycled now, one more time probably can't hurt. Of course nothing will replace Londonist's favourite rantconteur after his untimely death from cancer at the age of 32 in 1994; except perhaps the steadily growing collection of his material being released. Or maybe one more timely reminder of why we loved him so much...
If you're in marketing or advertising, kill yourselves...
