Nigel Planer - Young Once - A Life Less Heavy
Date: Friday 5th June, 2026
Venue: Roper Theatre
Doors: 7.00pm for 8.00pm show
Duration: 2hrs
Price: £20
Nigel Planer, beloved as Neil the hippy from The Young Ones and a founding figure of the 80’s alternative comedy scene, brings his memoir Young Once to life in a warm, sharply funny live show of storytelling.
From the wild early days at The Comedy Store to the chaotic brilliance of The Comic Strip Presents, Filthy Rich & Catflap, and beyond - to West End musicals and hit pop records - Nigel will share a trove of outrageous tales of the backstage chaos that shaped a generation of comedy: from 20-foot-éclair-related injuries to gatecrashing raves with Robin Williams, Top of the Pops and Band Aid, to auditioning for a stony-faced Robert De Niro.
Alongside the laughs, he will reflect on the bittersweet moments behind the scenes - the friendships, fame and rivalries, and the winding path of a creative life.
Woven throughout the show is a moving, often mischievous account of the long, on-off-on-again love story between Nigel and his wife Roberta, and a life lived somewhere between the footlights and the fallout.
Full of dry wit, theatrical flair, and a knack for finding humour in both disaster and triumph, don’t miss the once-young Nigel as he offers a wildly entertaining and gloriously sideways glimpse into his quietly remarkable career, in a show that is part performance, part confession, and all heart.
Books will be available for sale and for signing after the show.
Suitable for ages 14+
Booking: Your Box Office
Online booking: https://yourboxoffice.co.uk/the-fez-comedy-club/1301-nigel-planer-in-young-once-a-life-less-heavy
