Comic and self-proclaimed “libertarian anarchist” Mark Thomas, is on a mission to tell us more about “this divided wasteland that some of us call the UK”.

Even better, Mark’s on tour in this divided wasteland and he has a diary date at Cheltenham Town Hall on October 24, in the Pillar Room.

Which sounds all nice and elegant, actually. But what can an audience expect?

A spokesman said: “In his new show, Fifty Things About Us, Mark Thomas combines his trademark mix of storytelling, stand-up, mischief and really, really well researched material. Mark picks through the myths, facts and figures of our national identities to ask how we have so much feeling for such a hollow land.

He said: “Who do we think we are? It is a show about money, history, songs, gongs, wigs, unicorns, guns, bungs, sods of soil and rich people in the vein of The Manifesto-meets-sweary history channel.”

Organisers point out that Mark did not use the word “people” when describing wealthy folks.

According to Mark's on biographical details on his website, Mark has been performing comedy for 30 years; he's written five books; curated and authored two art exhibitions; won five awards for performing, three for human rights work "and one he invented for himself".

As you do.

He has taken the police to court three times and has won twice.

The third is on-going, apparently.

Mark first became known as a guest comic on the BBC Radio 1 comedy show The Mary Whitehouse Experience in the late 1980s.

His latest tour will lead on to a book, to be published in February.

Tickets for the Cheltenham show: 0844 576 2210.