David O'Doherty: Rory Sheridan's Tales Of The Antarctica

It takes a few minutes for David O'Doherty to fade away. Playing his first full character piece, there is plenty of O'Doherty silliness in the opening moments, including a long monologue on the stupidity of penguins. But as the story unfolds, you start to forget O'Doherty and you find yourself listening to Rory Sheridan, reluctant hero of the Antarctica.

A funny and gripping adventure, there are narrow escapes, gruelling voyages and almost-certain death, as well as a career-record number of fart jokes. The plot is perhaps slightly linear, but it's supported by some excellent writing. All of the characters in Sheridan's world are quite beautifully drawn, from a touching portrait of the girl he loved to the cast of rogues and idiots who voyaged with him to the Pole. O'Doherty has quite a knack of painting a scene with words and the story couldn't be more vividly real if there was a cast of thousands beside him on this small, bare stage.

It's nice to see O'Doherty attempt something weightier than standup while still being funny. Rory Sheridan does feel like the start of voyage for him rather than an arrival, but there is enough in this little gem of a show to suggest that the journey will be worthwhile.