Jason Byrne returns to the Fringe for his tenth year on a row and in that time he has become something of a comic legend. It really isn’t difficult to see why as he bounces onto the stage, all 6ft of him, dressed in black with blonde hair and, in record time has the audience hooting at his million jokes an hour routine.
The topics range from the quirky, such as the suggestion of putting a thermometer to your wife’s head when she is very angry and saying, ‘ooh temper, temper’, to the everyday stories, like his little boy and the rather rude dance he has taught himself. But regardless of the subject, the jokes always hit their mark and are utterly, utterly hilarious.
While best with his rehearsed jokes he can also hold his own with the audience, mercilessly teasing them and incorporating what they have to say into his routine almost effortlessly.
Sadly on the evening I caught his show, he was visibly struggling with an audience that, while loving his work, were very guarded and not forthcoming with any information. Byrne joked repeatedly that this must be a send up, but the damage was done and it was clear that he had lost some of his confidence.
It still was a fantastic night but was no where near Byrne at his comic best. But even Byrne having a bad day is still infinitely funnier than many comedians will even be.
4/5
Martin Miller
