Popped down to the Mercury at Colchester to see Ed Byrne’s latest stand-up routine “Outside Looking In”. Having recently seen Andy Hamilton ruminating on the vagaries of change, it was interesting to get another comedian’s take on the ‘delights’ of getting older.
He’s a very assured performer and fairly high octane. He meanders amusingly through material on dating, doctors and being a dad and riffs a little bit on the world’s propensity to ‘slut shame’ women for behaviour that it would otherwise laud in men. There’s no real narrative to the evening, unlike Hamilton’s show, which had a constant theme running through it throughout the evening. There is however a strong finale to the show, which meanders around the perils and joys of being a parent. Byrne has that ability to build routines, to layer laugh upon laugh, before the big finish. It is a rare talent indeed to make this look so easy. Very enjoyable.
Special mention to Tiff Stevenson’, who provided a very sharp, sometimes self-deprecating and occasionally very angry 20 minute support. Heartfelt, and very funny, but occasionally maybe the delivery undermines the message?