DARA Ó BRIAIN: CROWD TICKLER | COMEDY REVIEW
St David’s Hall, Cardiff
Sat 24 Oct
One of the country’s best loved and most recognised comedians, and once voted the UK’s favourite Irishman (I wasn’t aware there were such polls to be honest), Dara Ó Briain is back on the road after several years for his huge tour Crowd Tickler. Best known for his unpatronising style of comedy, Dara has proven that he is still quick on his feet and a master at improvised wit. He interacts with the audience in a way that truly tickles them, and has a genuine passion for learning about the places he visits.
Dara took to the stage and charmed the audience of St David’s Hall when I had the pleasure of seeing him, and within minutes he was tickling, well teasing, unsuspecting audience members in the front row. Highlights included a man who had specifically traveled all the way from Kent to see him, a family of support workers from Llantrisant and a spannerist, which Dara helpfully explained was a person who had a prejudice against spanners.
Llantrisant (which he admirably attempted to pronounce) was victim to Dara’s wit throughout the night, attacked for having a sub-par castle and a tradition where children are bounced by elders on boundary stones every seven years.
Dara’s philosophy and musings on day to day life were accessible, well thought out and mostly delivered brilliantly. His routines on lingerie, charity and the excess of emotion in the media were huge hits on the night, but none surpassed his routine on Chuggy the Channel Tunnel Digger, which has been a highlight for many on his tour.
Dara is a superb stand-up comic who manages to be chatty and personable without digressing too much. However he speaks incredibly quickly and sometimes muddled words, making audience members have to concentrate very hard to be able to tell what he was saying at certain points in his performance. He even commented on this himself, saying that there was complete silence between punchlines. Perhaps he should use a subtitlist on his next tour.
All in all, Crowd Tickler is a brilliant return to the stand-up world for the comedian. Personable, witty and original, there’s plenty to keep you laughing throughout.
words LUKE OWAIN BOULT