Talking about his cock...

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His show won best theatre tour in the 2008 Chortle awards.

Carlsberg Cat Laughs 2010 [7]
Live Review
Kilkenny Langtons

As the only comedian to have played all 15 previous Cat Laughs, Barry Murphy has little to prove. For stats lovers, Ian Coppinger, Dom Irrera and Rich Hall have missed just one, while Jason Byrne and Fred Macaulay have missed two.

With established credentials such as that, it comes as no surprise that Murphy takes a very relaxed, low-key approach to his compering. No big, over-excited introductions – though he did get the audience to hum a gentle Ladysmith Black Mambazo-style World Cup anthem – just an understated confidence.

Danny Bhoy kept the energy on a low simmer, too. Delivering with slick poise, but physical enough to keep the microphone in its stand for his set, so he could talk with his hands – and not just in the bit where he discusses how the Italians, erm, talk with their hands.

Some of his observations are on the mundane side, especially when it comes to such staples as how we react when last orders are called; though he proves adept at the tagline jokes, extending straightforward routines with a small postscript gag that provides a welcome twist.

When his routines have a story beyond the merely descriptive – such as him spotting a naked man in a hotel room across the courtyard from his – the confident, well-paced delivery stands him in especially good stead, as drops the punchlines with masterful timing.

Quirky poet Tim Key was something of a high-risk booking for a festival that traditionally likes to keep its stand-up straight. His over-analytical asides, aloof-yet-awkward persona and obtuse stanzas may have won him last year’s Edinburgh Comedy Award, but it didn’t sit too well in Kilkenny’s three-acts-and-a-compere, club-style line-up.

As a result he was greeted with at best mid-level titters, but mostly a respectful, patient near-silence. The audience seemed to appreciate what he was trying to achieve, but they also knew he just wasn’t hitting any of funnybones. That’s the thing with gambles, they don’t always pay off.

You’re taking no chances with Dara O Briain, though. That’s not to mean he doesn’t tackle intelligent, occasionally difficult subjects – but he’s a man who’s guaranteed to be able to make anything funny.

Early in this set he delivered an uncharacteristically vicious, and somewhat delayed, smackdown to a punter who was playing awkward when Key attempted banter. The spontaneous outburst was funny in its disproportionality, with O Briain employing his own intellectual ambitions to berate the poor sap for his lack of the same.

He’s a former student debating champ, and that’s still the essence of his humour – taking a point of view with which he disagrees (or even a simple observation) and distilling down to an hilariously ridiculous extreme. Once he’s done that to the National Childbirth Trust’s hippily unscientific ante-natal advice, for instance, you’ll never believe a word they say again.

Fast-talking at the best of times, O Briain attempted to cram the highlights of his current two-hour touring show into a 20-minute set, which only added to the density of gags – yet still left the audience wanting more.

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Saw Him in hull last night. One of the Greatest stand up shows I have ever seen his ability to think up jokes and react from the Audience within seconds is unbelieveable his routines are pitch perfect and are true in every aspect involving all generations in his comedy. leaving you at the end of the night in stitches with the best stand up ending I've ever seen. The man is a legend

MJG, May 2010

Just what I was expecting from Dara, if you have watched Mock the Week and loved him on that then you will love him live. Brilliant interaction with the audience, although the Buxton crowd seemed a little shy, but Dara made the most of it. My favourite part of the show was his description of certain computer games and his impression of the character running from GTA4. Fantastic ending which I won’t spoil for you, but it was not what I was expecting.

Fan Of Comedy, April 2010

Eloquent, charming, cuddly but doesn't appeal to a female sense of humour (mine anyway).

Schadenfreude, May 2009

Went to see Dara last night in Preston. He was superb and on for about 2 and a half hours, it only seemed like half that. He also had to deal with a faulty microphone, which he did as if it was part of the act. A must see for any-one who likes a laugh.

Duncan`, October 2008

Saw Dara in Birmingham a couple of nights ago, another absolutely fantastic charming performance, can't recommend him highly enough

Neill Aitken, March 2008

Dara had me crying with laughter last night! Saw him at the Birmingham Hippodrome. He is by far the most talented comedian I have seen. So So funny.

Kay, March 2008

In a word superb, Leeds rocked. Finding a ninja and a teacher with a xylophone fetish. In the words of the man, you had to be there...

david, March 2008

I am a hugh fan ofDdara and I am lucky enough to be going to see him twice this year. hes coming to Norwich where I live and I am going to see him at the Hammersmith Apollo in May - I can't wait

sarah, January 2008

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