COMEDY REVIEW: Big Night Out: Ardal O'Hanlon plus Shappi Khorsandi, Pete Firman and Jon Richardson *** (From News Shopper)

COMEDY REVIEW: Big Night Out: Ardal O'Hanlon plus Shappi Khorsandi, Pete Firman and Jon Richardson ***

10:14am Tuesday 15th September 2009

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FOR those who only know Ardal O’Hanlon from his TV work as the dim-witted priest in Father Ted and naive superhero in My Hero, hearing his sharp and world-weary stand-up comes as a surprise.

However, those who are familiar with O’Hanlon as a stand-up comedian know what to expect - quick-witted observational humour with a sprinkling of silliness - and at the Greenwich Comedy Festival on Friday he didn’t disappoint.

There was nothing particularly groundbreaking about his act. He simply told stories about time-tested subjects such as getting older (he is now 43) and the media over-hyping news reports.

But O’Hanlon’s appeal was not so much about the material as it was the way he delivered it.

His warmth and string of jokes about the absurd detail in day-to-day life created a gentle and persistent humour that kept the audience laughing throughout the performance.

As fellow Irish comedian Frank Carson would say, it is the way he tells them.

Unfortunately, the support acts were more miss than hit.

Comedy magician Pete Firman was superbly funny, combining cheeky banter with the audience with intentionally rubbish magic tricks.

And his appraisal of his own attire - “the look I’ve gone for is a cross between geography teacher and sex pest” - was one of the highlights of the night.

However, Shappi Khorsandi’s material about interracial and intergender relationships and ‘youths’ was trite, while compere Jon Richardson’s interaction with the audience was only mildly amusing.

Despite this, the quality of Ardal O’Hanlon and Pete Firman, and the beautiful venue of the Old Royal Naval College, made a night at the Greenwich Comedy Festival one to remember.

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