I’m Megan, the new creative apprentice at the Ventnor Exchange. I’ve been looking ahead at the shows coming up and had a chat with comedian and poet Rob Auton, who will be visiting us next week.
Hi Rob, you’re bringing ‘The Time Show’ to the Ventnor Exchange on the 5th/6th of February, it has been described as a cross between spoken word, comedy and theatre, how would you best describe it?
A show about me trying to come to terms with the fact that time exists through words I’ve put together in my head. I want to ask questions to give myself an idea of why time is such a big part of my life. I want to really zoom in on time to try to get my head around it and find out what it means to me. Why do I take notice of it? What would happen if I didn’t? What is it doing to me?
‘The Time Show’ is all about time! What was a particularly important time in your life?
It’s all been important. Cups of tea with relatives, putting the Christmas tree up, getting ill, getting better. I guess when I was working in advertising, the time I spent in that office made me realise what I wanted to do with my life. Even now when I am doing what I want to do with my life, there’s still times when I question what I’m doing. I think it will always be that way.
Each year you choose a subject for your shows, like ‘The Hair Show’ or ‘The Talk Show’ which you performed here at the Exchange last year. Why did you choose time as the subject for this one?
I want to focus on subjects that I’m going to look back on in twenty years and think “oh yes that still exists.” I don’t want to focus on subjects that will age badly such as politics. I chose time as I’m fascinated with what we have come up with to try to make us more calm and feel like we’ve got a handle on this chaos.
You’ve recently started up a podcast, what’s it about and where can we find it?
It’s a daily podcast called ‘The Rob Auton Daily Podcast.’ Each episode is a poem or short story, they are about three minutes long. I really wanted to make something that would go towards creating an online archive of my work and that is what the podcast is doing.
Now, what we all really want to know is, does time really exist?
On the Isle of Wight? I think it does yes. Last time I was there it stood still when I was looking at the sunset over the cliffs. Who knows what it will be like this time.
And lastly, what time does the show start and finish?
Is it 7.30pm doors? I think so. The show lasts for an hour and a few minutes I think.
The Time Show takes place at the Ventnor Exchange at 8pm on Wednesday 5th and Thursday 6th February, doors open at 7.30pm. Tickets are available here.
