You might not take to Dan Tiernan’s style of comedy – I was sandwiched between people on my right who were chortling at every line and people on my left who remained po-faced throughout. But you are unlikely (unless already jetlagged or fatigued from a double shift or something along those lines) to fall asleep. What I can only describe as ‘outbursts’ regularly emanated from the self-confessed gay man with dyspraxia, which took the old adage of sitting in the front row at a comedy gig at one’s own risk to a whole new level.
Confirming what some people’s suspicions were about certain people who went about their business wearing lanyards exempting them from wearing masks in public places when public health restrictions were in place, irrespective of the state of their actual physical health, Tiernan revels in a self-portrayal of someone who doesn’t fit the norm, with a look (or so he says) that makes other people assume he is socially awkward enough to be either “really bad at maths” or otherwise quite brilliant at it.
A diagnosis of gout led Tiernan to question his lifestyle choices. He appeared to do so again during an exchange with a front row patron, who, being from Switzerland and having English as a second language, asked plainly, “What is gout?” The comedy hour was, overall, very broad, but nonetheless well suited for people like me who had never seen any of his shows before: I felt I got to know the guy considerably well, even as he bounced around from topic to topic, in a set that included talk of his parents’ divorce as well as – wait for it – horrified inventors who discover their creations have become popular but are being used in ways far from their intended (and patented) purpose.
The whole, in the end, was greater than the sum of its parts in a uniquely wild ride. As much at ease about talking about drug habits as he was about something as innocuous as the difference between ‘irony’ and ‘coincidence’, this was a display of strength as much as it was a display of vulnerability.
Review by Chris Omaweng
Following two sell-out runs at the Edinburgh Fringe, Dan Tiernan is back at Soho Theatre with his trademark high-energy chaos.
Come for tightly-packed gags about gout and gay-awakenings, stay for a show-stopping magical finale.
As seen on QI (BBC), 8 out of 10 Cats does Countdown (Channel 4), Unforgivable (Dave) and Comedy Central Live.
Tour support for Micky Flanagan, Jamali Maddix, Fern Brady and Fin Taylor.
Show And Tell in association with Blue Book Artist Management present
DAN TIERNAN: STOMP
Soho Theatre, Dean Street, Wednesday 4 to Friday 6 September 2024
