The show opens with Bean unsuccessfully trying to stay awake in church and closes with a genius piece of pantomime where he plays an extended invisible drum solo. His comedic delivery takes center stage as he welcomes the audience to hell as the devil, and we see a foul-mouthed Atkinson as an actor forced to accept an award on behalf of his rival.
Fans of the original VHS release will be happy to know that there are three deleted sketches that have been added to the Extras section of the DVD but, considering the format of the show, it seems odd that they didn’t just add them to the show. Still, it’s definitely a worthwhile purchase.
Grade: A-
Rowan Atkinson Live! is currently available.
