Mutter madness

Comedy fans can look forward to a host of treats this fortnight, most notably the fourth annual Bulmers International Comedy Festival, which will see a broad range of world acclaimed favourites performing in venues all over Dublin.
Also this fortnight legendary Irish comedian Kevin McAleer presents his latest show, Chalk And Cheese, and Joe Rooney, Maeve Higgins and Brendan Grace show off their comic skills in Cork.
Described as “a comedian’s comedian,” McAleer will perform at The Blue Bar, Skerries, on August 29. The principle character of the show lives in a strange world of paranoia, delusions and hallucinations. In the show, the most simple and mundane of activities, such as eating out, a visit from the postman or even waiting at traffic lights, are turned into an epic mental voyage.
The Tyrone comedian began his career as one of the highlights of the hugely popular, twice-weekly show Nighthawks on RTÉ, and has since been entertaining audiences nationwide.
In Cork, there will be performances from three of Ireland’s best established and wonderfully diverse comedians: Joe Rooney, Brendan Grace and Maeve Higgins. Rooney has provided Irish audiences with some classic performances, both on screen and stage. Most memorable of all was his role on one of Ireland’s most popular comedy series of all time, Fr. Ted, in which he played the roguish curate Fr. Damo, responsible for leading the innocent Fr. Dougal astray. Aside from this, Rooney has appeared on a myriad of TV shows throughout his career, ensuring house-hold name status many years ago on such shows as Nighthawks, Don’t Feed The Gondolas, BBC’s The Empire Laughs Back and TV3’s Messers Tylac And Rooney. On stage Rooney incorporates his razor-sharp wit with his love of guitar to ensure entertainment at every corner. Joe Rooney plays Cyprus Avenue, Cork, August 29.
Another man who made a memorable appearance on Fr. Ted as a brief, and slightly more sinister, replacement for Fr. Jack, is Brendan Grace, a man who has spent over 35 years entertaining audiences both at home and abroad. The Dublin native plays the Briery Gap Cultural Centre, Macroom, September 5 and Cork native Maeve Higgins plays the city's Opera House September 1.
The fourth annual Bulmers International Comedy Festival, takes place in Dublin this September, running for a three-week period due to its immense popularity. Since its birth the international celebration has become one of the top comedy festivals in the world, showcasing the cream of the crop in both international and national comedy talent. Highlights of previous festivals have included Ricky Gervais and Denis Leary. This year is no exception. Throughout September audiences can look forward to an impressive list of comic legends, including Jimmy Carr, Ross Noble, Rich Hall, Lenny Henry, Paul Merton, Puppetry Of The Penis, The Tassel Club and many more.
This fortnight’s festival highlights include Rich Hall, Ross Noble and comic magician Jerry Sadowitz. On September 4 American comedian Hall takes the stage at the Olympia Theatre. The Perrier award-winner is touring the one man-and-a-mike show that he first showcased at the 2006 Fringe Festival. The show is full of essential Hall humour – hard-hitting, politically scathing and dead-pan. The American funny-man has an impressive CV of television appearances, both in America and in the UK, including The Letterman Show, Q.I. and Have I Got News For You.
Also on the bill this fortnight is Jerry Sadowitz, who has been tipped to be one of the festival high-lights. The magician-comedian was born in the US but grew up in Glasgow, and has earned something of a reputation for being the bad boy in comedy circles which, in this case, seems deserved, as he bristles with anger during his performances and famously opened up his performance at the Montreal Comedy Festival with the line “Hello, Moose-fuckers.” He was immediately knocked unconscious. Audiences can expect a suitably up-front, aggressive and highly entertaining performance from the controversial comedian when he plays The Sugar Club, September 3-7.
Finally, Ross Noble, the much-loved Geordie funny-man, plays his part at entertaining the masses at The Olympia Theatre, September 5 and 6.
The highly experienced comedian made his first appearance aged 15, when he was smuggled in and out of a over-18 comedy club.
Since then the hugely popular entertainer has been leaving audiences in tears of laughter with his own brand of wit and comic genius. This year Noble showcases his latest show, Nobelism, at the festival.