Pierre Novellie's 'You Sit There, I'll Stand Here' Review - A Comedy of Relatable Proportions
Comedian Pierre Novellie acknowledges that with our increasingly isolated lives, reference points have dwindled, making it tougher for observational comedians to land a punchline. However, he doesn't entirely convince with his premise, as two staple topics – middle age and suburban life – are tackled in the opening act. Novellie's cleverness is undeniable, but his show stumbles upon familiar tropes reminiscent of thirtysomething standup.
Novellie's one-liners often shine like diamonds ("I played rugby at school the same way that horses fought in the war"), yet his performance feels conventionally formal and his delivery slightly stiff. Early on, this led to a fleeting impression that he might be better as a writer than a performer. But a resurgent second half – bolstered by exceptional routines – shattered my skepticism.
A standout section revolves around Novellie's awkward experience with airport attire, including an amusing aside about Winnie the Pooh's fashion sense. However, this is soon eclipsed by another masterclass of 'extensio ad absurdum,' applied to his epic struggle with Melbourne hotel cleaners over their eco-friendly laundry policy.
The show concludes with a laugh-out-loud shaggy dog story about Novellie's house move, which finds him lugging six tote bags of beef across London. While not as expansive as other comedians – like Rhod Gilbert or Ian Smith – whose work this shares similarities with, there are glimpses that his crusty-colonel persona may be more nuanced than initially meets the eye.
That becomes particularly evident in a cringe-worthy interaction with removal men, where Novellie wears a wretched thousand-yard stare, echoing "I'm not the man they left behind." This moment suggests that despite an occasionally narrow range of expression, his comedic voice remains potent. As observational comedy continues to evolve, it's clear that there is still life in this old dog yet.
Comedian Pierre Novellie acknowledges that with our increasingly isolated lives, reference points have dwindled, making it tougher for observational comedians to land a punchline. However, he doesn't entirely convince with his premise, as two staple topics – middle age and suburban life – are tackled in the opening act. Novellie's cleverness is undeniable, but his show stumbles upon familiar tropes reminiscent of thirtysomething standup.
Novellie's one-liners often shine like diamonds ("I played rugby at school the same way that horses fought in the war"), yet his performance feels conventionally formal and his delivery slightly stiff. Early on, this led to a fleeting impression that he might be better as a writer than a performer. But a resurgent second half – bolstered by exceptional routines – shattered my skepticism.
A standout section revolves around Novellie's awkward experience with airport attire, including an amusing aside about Winnie the Pooh's fashion sense. However, this is soon eclipsed by another masterclass of 'extensio ad absurdum,' applied to his epic struggle with Melbourne hotel cleaners over their eco-friendly laundry policy.
The show concludes with a laugh-out-loud shaggy dog story about Novellie's house move, which finds him lugging six tote bags of beef across London. While not as expansive as other comedians – like Rhod Gilbert or Ian Smith – whose work this shares similarities with, there are glimpses that his crusty-colonel persona may be more nuanced than initially meets the eye.
That becomes particularly evident in a cringe-worthy interaction with removal men, where Novellie wears a wretched thousand-yard stare, echoing "I'm not the man they left behind." This moment suggests that despite an occasionally narrow range of expression, his comedic voice remains potent. As observational comedy continues to evolve, it's clear that there is still life in this old dog yet.
i just watched pierre novellie's show and i gotta say, his one-liners are EVERYTHING 
the thing about him tho is he can be a bit stiff on stage like idk if thats gonna work for observational comedy longterm? but those second half routines tho!!! 
especially the airport attire part, that was SO relatable 
4 real tho, his crusty-colonel persona is super underrated, im rooting for him to keep pushing the boundaries of observational comedy in 2025 
stats show: 74% of audience laughed at the airport attire sketch vs 42% during opening act 
what r u guys think? 
. Those one-liners though are 
! And that epic struggle with Melbourne hotel cleaners? 
. Maybe it's just me, but I'm glad he showed us there's still life in observational comedy after all 
.
he's got some amazing one-liners but his stage presence was kinda stiff 
i can see why they'd think he's more of a writer than a performer, but that second half he came back strong 
love how he poked fun at himself and those awkward airport outfits 
. But, I gotta say, his performance felt a bit...stiff 
, you know? Like he was trying too hard to be the "cool" comedian or something 
.
...it was like a masterclass in comedic storytelling!
. That cringe-worthy interaction with removal men? 
.
. He's got the goods, but maybe needs to work on finding his flow 
. Still, I'm stoked he's out there doing his thing and making us laugh 
- who hasn't struggled with airport attire? 
! His one-liners are 
. However, the second half of the show is where it shines 
especially that section about airport attire 
Winnie the Pooh's fashion sense is HILARIOUS 
still gives me chills 
! Overall, I think Novellie's comedy voice is 
.
and thought it was a great idea... didn't end well. Anyway, back to Pierre Novellie – yeah, the dude's got skills, but have you seen those removal guys who show up at your doorstep unannounced? 