Comedian Jeff Green at Trinity Theatre, Tunbridge Wells

Jeff Green

Trinity

Tunbridge Wells

It has been a topsy-turvy few years for stand-up comic Jeff Green.

Having maintained his single man status until the age of 40, he has suddenly become a 44-year-old married father of two young children.

His observations on the chaos these cataclysmic changes have caused forms the basis of his latest stand-up show, Life-Ache, which he brings to Trinity Theatre next week.

One of the most popular stand-up comedians of the past 15 years and a regular on our TV screens, Jeff spoke to Go! last week about his new life, his strange affection for Tunbridge Wells and whether this tour will be his last.

You haven't paid us a visit for a while. Have you had a break?

"No I'm gigging in London all the time, but in terms of reaching out to the regions I pretty much go out every two years. I'm not Billy Connolly who can fill a venue for weeks on end so I tend to limit myself."

As a newish father do you feel the need to stay at home more?

"I actually find I'm wanting to tour more often! No, the main thing is I have to get back now. I used to do the gig, hang out with friends, stay the night and then come back. That doesn't happen any more. Basically I have to be in the car within seven minutes of coming off stage and tearing back down to London."

Has marriage given you a lot of new material?

"I've always done stuff about relationships, but the only real thing I've had to change is going from girlfriend to wife. When you reach 40 it feels right to not be going 'my girlfriend' this and 'my girlfriend' that like some Peter Stringfellow type."

So you got married to avoid a midlife crisis?

"Yes I thought that would create a smokescreen! The show is not about having a midlife crisis, it's about having a life change at 40. No kids at 40, two kids at 43 and married. Where men are eyeing up red sports cars I'm smelling nappies. Maybe my midlife crisis will come at 50."

Are you wondering if you should have done this years ago?

"I'll be honest with you: the kids are hard work. Carrying them and being 44, my arms ache and stuff. I'm sure I'm doing it wrong. But I'm having a great time. Life had got a bit samey and I felt I wanted something different to happen. I'm not sure if it was what was missing but it was what I got. I've become incredibly fertile in my 40s. I didn't intend to have them, I just couldn't stop conceiving."

Are you a happier man these days?

"There are different types of happiness. My 20s and 30s were great, but from 35 to 40 was a bit dull. You notice you're not in your 20s any more and it took me a long time to come to terms with that. Then I realised it wasn't that important anyway. Happy is not the word. I'll go with 'satisfied'."

I imagine a lot of these thoughts come up in your show.

"It starts off with some stuff about the wedding and the mistake of getting married in Australia. I put on a free bar which I thought would be fine, but I'm still paying for it. They didn't open the bar, they just fired a starting pistol into the sky. Then I talk about having the kids, having a caravan instead of a sports car, all sorts of things. I finish off with a load of filth. It's classic Jeff Green. There's something for everyone."

Is it the same every night or do you bring the audience into it?

"I tend not to pick on the audience in case I discover some kind of odd illness or deformity. I did walk out onstage in Guildford and everyone was clapping except one bloke, who was looking a bit shifty. I said 'why aren't you clapping, mate?' and he went 'I've only got one hand'. He had a metal claw. It was a dreadful start to a show."

I hear this might be your last tour.

"My wife is Australian and she wants us to go there. I can't see myself going there, coming back five years later and trying to find the people who used to like me five years ago. So it might be the right thing to do. It feels like this might be the last tour that I do; not to stop gigging, but to stop doing a formal tour."

So this could be your last visit to Tunbridge Wells?

"If I was ever going to play anywhere again it probably would be Tunbridge Wells. I love it. It's one of those places. That's the amazing thing about gigging – some places you just seem to connect with. One of them is Tunbridge Wells, another is Swindon. And Taunton. I've got no connection with these places but I connect with the people who come and see me. I always make sure I don't miss them out."

By Oliver Frankham

Saturday November 29 at 8pm

Tickets £14, concessions £12

Phone 01892 678678 or book online at www.trinitytheatre.net