There are plenty of comedians who trade on familiarity. Ruby Wax has always preferred something a little less predictable.
She’s heading back out on the road this spring with a new live show, Absolutely Famous, which stops at Wyvern Theatre on 22 April. It’s part of a wider UK tour that begins in Henley-on-Thames — and by the sound of it, audiences can expect a mix of sharp humour, candid reflection and the sort of stories that don’t usually make it into broadcast interviews.
Wax, who recently appeared on I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!, has built a career on asking questions others might avoid. Her interview series, including Ruby Wax Meets and Full Wax, saw her sit down with figures ranging from Donald Trump to Madonna — conversations that were often as revealing as they were uncomfortable.
This new show leans into that archive. Alongside long-time collaborator Clive Tulloh, Wax will revisit clips, share behind-the-scenes stories and, as ever, keep things loosely under control.
“Just about,” as she puts it.
Her own take on the tour announcement — delivered in typically offbeat fashion — suggests the tone hasn’t shifted much. Writing from the Australian jungle, she joked about unreliable Wi-Fi and an improvised beauty routine before promising a return to the stage as soon as possible.
It’s that mix of irreverence and honesty that has defined her work, whether on stage, screen or in her writing on mental health. Beyond comedy, Wax has become a prominent voice in that field, combining academic study with a knack for making complex ideas accessible.
Her career has taken in everything from the Royal Shakespeare Company to script editing on Absolutely Fabulous, alongside numerous broadcasting roles and public speaking engagements. In 2015, she was awarded an OBE for services to mental health.
The live setting, though, remains where she’s most immediate — and, often, most unfiltered.
For Swindon audiences, Absolutely Famous promises an evening that dips into decades of material while still feeling current — a mix of archive, anecdote and observation, delivered with the kind of edge that’s become her trademark.
Not polished, not predictable — and very much the point.
