Mary Bourke: Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary
Live Review

There are so many beautifully crafted turns of phrase in Mary Bourke's show that there really should be a massive queue jostling to get into this tiny, out-of-the way room.

As she notes at the top of the show, and the reason for the 'contrary' of the title, this isn't what comics usually do for a Fringe show. There's no catharsis, no sentimental journey or revelations, just pure stand-up. And she delivers.

She's performed on the circuit for more than a dozen years and the experience shows. Bourke's utterly composed on stage, performing with a relaxed delivery, and the soft sing-song of her Irish lilt contrasts nicely with her punchy and somewhat acerbic material.

Indeed the hour is a mixture of the poetic and the acidic. She punctuates the pomposity of the Mumsnet website with list of unreasonable demands on the Albanian nanny with the refrain 'am I being unreasonable?', reading like feisty performance poetry. Elsewhere Metro's poll of the most inspiring woman is cut through with a sardonic edge highlighting the vacuous nature of media, and there's a similarly sarcastic deconstruction of Dan Brown's incredibly clunky prose.

Bourke has the uncanny ability to draw you into to her world and on to her side, there's a lovely gossipy piece about a young American comedian with whom Bourke gigged in Dublin who has with a lot to learn about comedy, and history and geography too.

Hers is a no-nonsense approach. She'll stand no messing, as three fellas, who were obviously not committed to the show, found out. Unfortunately it happens a lot in free shows, because the lack of financial investments means some punters seem to think it's OK to drift in and out. Sensing that they weren't entirely happy Bourke asked them to leave, which they duly did. Despite noting how awkward that had made the gig and that she had to win around the audience again, she didn't really have to, she had us on side already.

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I too saw the attack on the two lesbian women at Camden Jongleurs which made me cringe. Aside from this display of homophobia Ms Bourke was extremely unfunny and boring.

Kevin Walsh, April 2006

I saw Mary Bourke last night at Jongleurs in Camden. She was incredibly offensive - gratuitously attacking two women she perceived to be lesbians sitting in the front row. I can't imagine how she is able to sustain this as a career. Pathetic display from a professional comic.

MJ Mace, March 2006

Saw her last night and she struggled to start off with but then just sailed into her own material fantastically... brilliant act

Dave, January 2005

I saw Mary at the Cornerhouse in Newcastle and I thought she was great - really relaxed and very funny

Bet Simpson, April 2004

I had to follow Ms Bourke at the Gag Club, Birmingham. Oh why ouldn' I go on before her. She blew the roof off. Material, delivery, rapport all resulted in them cheering her offstage, deadly

Ryan Gough, January 2003

This is a truly stinking act. As an expat irish woman myself I have never heard such trivial and badly observed material from a poor performer with a strangely, for a comedian, inexpressive face. When people say women aren't funny she is maybe what they mean. I am appalled.

Trish Deeny, September 2002

Saw her last night and I was in stitches - she is so relaxed about the whole thing, great with the crowd and naturally very funny. Here's to another successful woman in comedy.

Claire, December 2001

Anyone who is 'loving the fat men' gets my vote quite frankly. Mary's got some very nice material, and can really handle a rowdy room well. Saw her on Friday and she surfed the crowd's boisterousness expertly.

Gary Delaney, December 2001

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