There are some comedians who just know how to spin a yarn about anything and make it funny. Ardal O’Hanlon is one of them.
O’Hanlon describes his style of comedy as ‘off the ball’ which seems pretty accurate. The things he talks about are generally the everyday and mostly things about which we have some understanding. However, there is always some twist or punchline which he delivers at the opportune time and in the perfect way that makes it go from ordinary to extraordinary.
He has an excellent comedic sense; his innate ability to just find the funny in things and talk about them with such an effortless candour is impressive.
Another thing that impressed me and makes him quite refreshing is that he is not one of the many comedians who resort to crude jokes, gimmicks or over-the-top tales to get the laughs. Just as the anecdotes roll smoothly from his tongue, so does the laughter from the audience.
O’Hanlon definitely has an eccentric perspective on many things in this world. We learn about his thoughts on religion, why he doesn’t trust flip flops and how he made friends with a mugger. His perfect encapsulation of the Irish behaviour was particularly entertaining.
The only thing I would comment on as a negative point is that his set is not completely relatable. He does make some British references which would only really speak to a local audience. He also talks a little about politics which might get lost on those who are not so aware of what’s going on in the political world.
That aside though, there is very little to fault or critique in this show. Ardal O’Hanlon is a natural and engaging raconteur with a brilliant sense of humour and some incredibly funny sentiments to share.
