On cats

From Live At The Apollo 2011

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Ed Byrne: Crowd Pleaser
Live Review

Crowd-pleaser is a double-edged sword. For a comedian, that’s pretty much the job description, but it’s not breaking any secrets to admit us critics often use it in a more backhanded way, to suggest an act who’s pressing the audience’s buttons but doesn’t do much creatively.

Well, Ed Bryne’s new offering is definitely a Ronseal show. But does it do what it says in the title with easy, unchallenging, observational shtick? Well, yes, a bit – but there’s also humour here that transcends the comfortable origins of the material.

Much of the show revolves around just three things that he has: a wife, a baby son and a pet cat. This is about as domestic as you can get, yet he manages to see new things in these much-analysed, universal topics. His take on the was his Missus demands household chores be done might not push the envelope, but he finds a nice hook on which to hang it all, while the routine about why we like cats more than people, unpromising as that premise might seem, actually produces a virtuoso routine even non-cat owners will identify with.

Babies are often seen as the creative kiss of death for comedians, and indeed Byrne’s talk of his seven-month-old is all puke, shit and piss – although he focussing on the pressure with which these secretions are emitted, rather than their foul content, so it doesn’t feel as if we’ve heard this particular angle before.

Yes, sometimes he doesn’t try too hard. After all, he gets a laugh by saying ‘Piers Morgan, who’s a cock…’ so why struggle for left-field insight? Some of the vaguely topical pieces about the Coalition government and the Irish attitude to immigration seem a little mundane, and he perhaps oversells a weird encounter with the now-dead Star Trek actor Paul Wingfield.

This comes as part of a section where he flaunts his nerd credentials – nerd as in liking sci-fi and video games, rather than actually understanding science – and there’s a nice flourish to the way he teases fellow geeks in the audience with the pedantry he knows they are feeling.

Talking of which, he applies such finicky principles to a T-shirt he saw a young teenager wearing – the second routine about age-inappropriate clothing he spotted in an airport in as many shows; but just as funny as the first.

Crowd Pleaser doesn’t have the benefit of the same strong, central theme that his last tour Different Class was built around; but it’s founded on robustly solid routines, with enough smart flourishes to avoid the predictable. You will be entertained.

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I have to say his material virtually always strikes a chord with me. Saw his live show (from the DVD) on Paramount last week and his observations about London cabbies, lying in bed etc are spot on and delivered in such a way that he can't help but endear himself to you. Very clever, very funny.

Dave Bromage jr, December 2007

I must have caught him on a night where he delivered the performance of his life. Only several minutes into his slot I was won over, Joke after anecedote after observation he was on a winner. So rare have a i seen a performer really passionate about their job and so eager to please, after having seen the likes of Chubby Brown, Davidson, Hurst, Tarbuck, Dee , Connolly... the list goes on, Ed Byrne is the best live act I have ever witnessed. If you have never seen him, take a chance like a did and you never know, you might enjoy yourself.

Mark Boardman, February 2007

I've been a fan of Ed's since the early days. I saw the Sheffield gig of the 2006/7 tour and thought he was brilliant, as usual. I just watched the DVD and was less impressed. He's great with newer material but the DVD was, purposely, a 'greatest hits' and so lacked freshness, good to see the Alanis material again though. So I would advise people to see his live stuff and only watch the DVD for nostalgia.

Duana, February 2007

Ive seen Ed twice at Leeds City Varieties in the past year. He's brilliant, the best comic I've seen, very funny man. I dont get this "old material" thing that people keep saying about him. I've seen him three times now and everytime its been different. Class act, go and watch him!

Dan, February 2007

The guy is brilliant. I saw him at the Trinity Theatre in Tunbridge Wells recently and he brought the house down. A couple of his routines I had heard before, but every stand-up comedian has a couple of tried and tested gags that make a regular appearance. Most of the set was new material, and very very funny. An incredibly funny guy!

Sarah, November 2006

I watched his DVD the other night with some mates, and really wasn't very impressed. The quality is pretty bad and most of the gags are so tired - who doesn't do a joke about security at the airport? I dont think he is very talented at all.

Karen, November 2006

His comedy is all about observation. However, it is very well written material, very well thought out and his delivery is faultless. But I am looking forward to some new material. Some of his jokes have been around a while now and now that he has his DVD out he will need all new material because people do not appreciate paying to go and see what they could easily watch at home. That said, I can see him again, again and again and will never get tired of him!

Miss Flea, November 2006

Thought he was brilliant in Edinburgh. Kept you laughing for the whole hour. Very funny

Maddy, September 2006

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