You'll Like It When You Get There

A refreshingly honest look at modern life, and how to get out of living it. Rhys has lived his entire life with a backdrop of dread. As a child, the sentence he feared most was 'come downstairs and say hello.' Aged five, he feigned injury to avoid dancing at a wedding, and 25 years later, he celebrated when the venue set on fire moments before what would've been the biggest gig of his life. You'll Like It When You Get There is a guide to life from someone who doesn't want to do anything, and an exploration of why you possibly shouldn't either. Join Rhys as he avoids not just social engagements but big life milestones too, like getting married and having children. A deep dive into regret, humiliation, failure and pretending to be French for personal gain. From the Wild West of early internet chatrooms to the sticky circus of the Kavos strip, from redesigning therapy after completing it in just four sessions, to having a full existential breakdown when a Buddhist monk asks him for five stars on TripAdvisor. If you've ever celebrated plans being cancelled with an Andy Murray fist pump, secretly prayed for another lockdown, attempted to start your own nickname, or tried - in vain - to control the outcome of everything you do, then welcome to the club. We close early, obviously. You'll Like It When You Get There is at once hilarious, insightful and inspiring - even if what it's inspiring you to do is absolutely nothing. This is the introvert's manifesto, the over-thinker's dossier, the diary of a wimpy kid. Reviews of Rhys: "Scintillating stand-up" Times "Master of the lightning-paced, gag-dense, precision-delivered" Guardian "A superb tour de force of observational comedy, delivered with punchy, rapid-fire certainty" Chortle

Rhys James was born in Swindon, Wiltshire in 1991, before moving to Hertfordshire where he grew up. Aged nine, he played the title character in a local production of Oliver Twist. Since then, he has gone on to perform stand-up comedy around the world, including six solo shows at the Edinburgh Fringe and two international sell-out tours. Rhys has appeared on Live at the Apollo, QI, A League of their Own and, most notably, as a regular panellist on BBC Two's Mock the Week. He has created three critically acclaimed shows for BBC Radio 4, including the ARIAS nominated Rhysearch. His U&Dave lecture, 'I Stalk Strangers Online', became a viral hit, and his debut DVD Spilt Milk sold out completely in just 90 minutes. There was one copy.