It is not often on the Edinburgh comedy circuit that every single seat in the house is full. However, the packed house at Guilded Balloon (Wee Room) who experienced Gearoid Farrely's charming brand of comedy were not disappointed.
Farrely's personality ekes through his performance persona to forge one of the best delivery styles I have experienced. His predominantly storytelling brand of comedy is carried off with a charming wit and his interjections of observational humour are easily relatable. To be an audience member in Farrely's crowd is a joy. Each joke landed perfectly. This is partly due to his impeccable comic timing but also the rapport he established with the audience in the first 10 minutes of the show.
The front row are an integral part of the show. The audience is used as a bouncing board for most jokes. Once Farrely has singled out his favourites he sticks to his guns. He coaxes comedic revelations from the front row favourites and twists them into exceptionally funny and relevant one liners. From here he launches into his story, by the end of which we are left rolling in the aisles. His hilarious physicality lends itself to an endearing from of comedy as the audience perch on the edge of their seats eagerly anticipating the next gag.
Another favourite of the audience were his off the cuff improvisations. Most of these ad libs stemmed from comments made by the audience. However, there was still room for elements from outside the Gilded Balloon to make their way into the show; at one point he masterfully tied in an adlib joke about an aeroplane flying overhead.
Farrely’s style of upbeat comedy almost feels as if you're having a coffee with an old friend. An old friend that is headed for bright, bright things.
