Having taken a six-year hiatus from the heady world of stand-up, Jack Dee has returned to the stage, and will stop off in Ireland for a series of live dates this fortnight.

Speaking to HP’s Paul Nolan at the end of last year, Dee explained why he decided to wrap up his acclaimed sitcom, Lead Balloon. “I had an awful lot of fun doing it”, he said, “but at the same time, after doing three series I thought, ‘Okay, we’ll do one more and I don’t know if I can keep this up for too much longer.’ It just prevented me doing anything else, ‘cos each one took a year out of my life.”
Good news for us! Catch the Most Deadpan Comedian on the Planet™ live at the Cork Opera House (March 25, 26), and Millenium Forum, Derry (27, 28).
Colm O’Regan continues his tour of Ireland’s Got Mammies this issue too. The comedian started the show off as a Twitter account (we demand you follow @Irishmammies at once, if you haven’t already) which then spawned a book, and now – the live experience! If you understand the hilarity of ‘I thought I felt a few drops alright’, and ‘Put away the camera would you for goodness sake and me in my oul scarf’, you should get yourself quicksmart to the Wexford Arts Centre (16), and the George Bernard Shaw Theatre, Carlow (21).
Also this fortnight, the so-called ‘Samuel L. Jackson of comedy’, Reginald D. Hunter performs for two nights. The Georgia-born, UK-residing funnyman heads to Kavanagh’s, Portlaoise (27) and the Birr Theatre & Arts Centre (28).
Meanwhile, one half of D’Unbelievables, Pat Shortt heads out on the road too. The Limerick man hits up the Mullingar Arts Centre (16) and the Linenhall Arts Centre (23). Elsewhere, Dubliner Brendan Grace takes in a whopping seven dates over the fortnight. The pride of the Liberties performs at Market Place Theatre & Arts Centre, Armagh (14, 17), Burnavon Arts Centre, Tyrone (15), Axis, Dublin (19), Draiocht, Dublin (20, 21), Source Arts Centre, Tipperary (23).
Neil Delamere plays a measly four nights (not really, but it’s all relative), taking in Solstice Arts Centre (15), Riverbank Arts Centre (16), Siamsa, Kerry (21), and Hawk’s Well Theatre, Sligo (23).

BEST OF THE REST
Give My Head Peace: Market Place Theatre & Arts Centre (16) and Grand Opera House, Belfast (19, 20, 21, 22, 23), Tommy Tiernan: Ulster Hall (15) and Vicar St. (28), David McSavage: Vicar St. (22), Ian Coppinger: Laughter Lounge (28), Chris Kent + Guests: International (20), Andy Parsons: Olympia (17).