Irish Pick and Micks

Even before it was time to take to the stage, the show’s host Ian Perth had the audience cheering so that it could be heard from downstairs. This, along with being personally escorted to a ‘special seat’, makes you feel involved from the start, and lends a matey air to the proceedings.

Perth is a natural charmer; energetic and sweet, he bounds around like a puppy, jumping and dancing and seemingly genuine in his interest in people. His comedy isn’t ground-breaking, but his jokes are solid, and his delivery is where he wins out.

Next to take the stage is Greg Marks. His early Ronnie Corbett-lookalike gag is funny inasmuch as, with prop glasses on, he looks a bit like Ronnie Corbett. But unfortunately it’s downhill from there. A lot of his jokes are Dublin-specific, and the references go right over the audience’s heads. His more vulgar jokes missed the mark, coming off a little seedy, and the uncomfortable silences were hard to ignore.

Finally, the piece de resistence, John Brennan. The biggest kid of all, here is a man who revels in his decision not to grow up. He leans on the boundaries of what is ok, but not in the obvious directions, and his delivery is cheery and upbeat. To pinch an old phrase, Brennan has funny bones.

This show is a crowd-pleaser, but woudl perhaps better fit a later spot.