Stewart Lee Presents...

Andrew O'Neill

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Andrew O’Neill: Alternative
Live Review

Andrew O’Neill may lead an alternative life, as a vegan, transvestite metalhead who prefers squats and hitchhiking to rent and bus fares, but his comedy is hugely accessible.

He’s an assured storyteller, with plenty of winning yarns about life on the road – as well as an exaggerated flight off fancy about his father, a great British ‘spacemanaut’.

His biggest strength, though is his ability to generate the fragmented, bite-sized chunks of absurdism that pepper the show, jolting suddenly out of nowhere. Some of these one-liners turn into running gags, such as his woefully limp trash talk with one front-row punter or his musings on what happens in the Kingdom of the Blind. Others are just standalone snippets from a very active comedy mind. When he needs a euphemistic simile early doors, he reels off a catalogue of maybe two dozen of them, each as inventive and offbeat as the last.

Sometimes he can crunch a whole comic episode into a few short sentences – such as the idea of a Satanist milkman; while in the more anecdotal segments of the show he relaxes into a calm, pleasing rhythm.

There are lulls, though. The sketch about gravy certainly isn’t gravy, being too long and too pointless. And he gets a bit lecturey – out of character from his normal charm – when trying to score political points. A rather cheesy ‘final thought’ also seems more to pander to the idea that a show needs a message rather than emerging from the narrative. Just by existing in his affable and funny way, O’Neill’s making plenty of statements – they don’t need to be ladled on.

But although it’s an inconsistent show, O’Neill is definitely a comic worth watching. Some of those one-liners are among the best in the country – especially a cracking Holocaust gag that, incredibly, is in impeccable taste – and he’s thoroughly charming man. Probably the best vegan, transvestite metalhead ex-squatter on the Fringe.

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Andrew is one of the most inventive acts around. His material is always clever, original and interesting. He’s the sort of comic you either love or hate, but that’s not always a bad thing. The lists he read out during his Edinburgh show this year were brilliantly eclectic.

Steve McBride, October 2009

Saw Andrew at a very small venue in Otley... laughed till we cried - lucky for us we were all at that 'certain age' that allowed the mighty Giant Haystacks gag to be set free... Catch him - high energy, brilliant, review spot on.

Mike Estell, March 2009

I gigged with him at the Cambridge gig mentioned below. I think he is one of the most original, accomplished and interesting comics out there. Political without getting on a soapbox, brimming with interesting historical viewpoints. Real energy and passion, with a mish mash of styles that shouldn't work but somehow all come together. A real talent.

Paul, September 2008

I like Andrew. We did a unscripted news based show together tonight in Leeds and he was awesome. He was better than Depeche Mode but sadly not as good as Erasure. But still very, very good.

Barry Dodds, July 2008

Headlined my night in Cambridge and was awesome.

Ryan Chapman, April 2008

I don't believe Andrew kicked Russell Grant in the knee, I don't believe Winston Churchill was Jack the Ripper, and I don't believe Ronnie Corbett is falling into the sea at a rate of half a metre a year. Odd that this disbelief does not affect that I find this man funny. He made me laugh and I couldn't give two hoots why, that's not important. Good job Andrew, I hope to see you in Leeds again soon.

Tessa Boyle, March 2008

Andrew just gets better every time I see him. I think he is truly unique, surreal and awesome.

Tiffany Stevenson, February 2008

Well, the spitefulness of some people's comments are as depressing as they are predictable. I read them as: "This isn't normal. Why isn't your comedy normal, Andrew?" His last Edinburgh show was like elegant profound narrative chopped up with cartoon-like absurdity like dollops of ice cream. Imagine Reeves and Mortimer sketches edited into the middle of a Philip K Dick short story. It ended with a very moving piece that was the only thing at the festival that brought a tear to my eye (apart from the cost of accommodation). So he had a bad gig. We ALL have bad gigs.

stuart black, February 2008

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