Dylan Moran
With long winded rants and a glass of wine in hand, it was hard to see where Dylan Moran’s former alter ego (misanthropist book store owner Bernard Black from the cult comedy series Black Books) ended and Moran as a stand up comedian began in his show at the State Theatre on May 2nd.
Although he did not repeat any material from his previous live shows Monster and Like Totally, the topics covered were standard, even cliché comedy fare. From plastic surgery and obsessive consumerism to the typical ‘Men are from Mars’, ‘Women are from Venus’ routine: almost everything had been done before. The only thing missing was a quip about aeroplane food.
What sets Moran apart, is his absurd and sometimes downright hysterical wordplay which is delivered with such a perfect mix of outraged disbelief and bitter disdain: (Sydneysiders driving about in their Toyota Hiroshimas and flaming genitals fried in orchid oil were standouts). Then again, almost anything is funny in an Irish accent.
“This is work for me, it’s gruelling.” Moran admitted early on and at many points during the show. A persona based on world-weariness and disillusionment isn’t ideal for lifting energy levels or engaging the crowd, which in a venue like the State Theatre, is required. While the laughs were frequent, they were fairly restrained and quick to fall silent. It was not until the encore that Moran attempted to establish a personal relationship with the audience by telling a story about his own life.
Entertaining as it was, something was missing. One couldn’t help but wish that Manny and Fran were there to make it truly memorable.
