Culture
18 Dec 01

The golden compendium of humour 2001

The Hoot Press Gazette and Trumpet Your genial editor: STEPHEN X. ROBINSON

Comedy event of the year? Well, I guess it’s got to be Bachelors Walk. The RTE comedy-drama which united the critics proved that with imagination, fine acting and writing talent and innovative technical skills – by an Irish crew – this country can produce a product that’s every bit as good as anything made in the UK. Funny, relevant and at times poignant, the series also gave Dublin city its finest screen makeover yet, showing us a vibrant, multi-cultural metropolis where social and sexual freedoms are accepted as human rights.

Funniest moment? When 17-year-old Jennifer (Ailish Symons) confirms that, yes, people of her age are having sex. “That’s fuckin’ deadly,” says stoned barrister Michael, played by Dublin actor Simon Delaney, giving a stand-out performance in a cast of considerable talent. Thanks to all involved and c’mon RTE, give us a second series!

The Jason Byrne Show was another, albeit perhaps not unqualified, success, although Byrne appears to be finding his feet as the series continues. Byrne continued to surpass himself on the live circuit also, gaining a Perrier nomination in Edinburgh and playing a series of sell-out concerts at Vicar St in Dublin.

Après Match continues to delight and with Ireland’s qualification for the World Cup, looks set to enjoy a new lease of life, despite earlier rumours of relegation. The live outings by the trio were among the finest comedy shows of the year, even for those who don’t know the offside rule. Gary Cooke’s Wally Breslin and Barry Murphy’s genial German creations show that the boys have a lot more balls in play.

Sadly, RTE’s other comedy outings failed to approach ‘The Walks’ success. The Cassidys, in particular, was improbably structured, badly written and played with less chemistry than you’d find in a Fisher-Price chemistry set. Despite the presence of talents like Ed Byrne and Amelia Crowley the series left both critics and audiences cold and is unlikely to return to our screens. (Cue canned cheer). Likewise, Don’t Feed The Gondolas was consigned to the comedy wheelie-bin.

Billy Magrath’s appointment as Head of Light Entertainment at RTE TV promised great things for home-grown comedy. The ex-promoter and comedian lost no time in instigating the Raw Talent initiative which offers budding comedy performers and writers a leg-up in terms of advice and direction, and was instrumental in the commission of many of the projects named above. But not The Cassidys! Access Raw Talent at www.rte.ie/rawtalent

RTE’s New Comedy Awards 2001 saw over 100 new talents apply to RTE resulting in the selection of 16 finalists who provided two excellent shows at HQ, Dublin. Four acts were chosen to appear on The Late Late Show in November. Neil Delamare emerged victorious with a set that seemed tailor-made for TV, despite strong sets from the Comedy Room’s Naessens & Rooney, Cork’s Jerome Holland and the bookies’ favourite, Michael Downey. Downey had previously played in Edinburgh at the Channel 4 So You Think You’re Funny competition and the BBC’s New Comedy Awards.

RTE radio supplied some comedy gems in the forms of the Stand-Up Stories and Luneen Live programmes. The former was a series of monologues by talents such as Mark Doherty, Eddie Bannon and Brendan Burke. A female version is mooted for 2002. The latter show was scripted by Fr Ted’s Arthur Mathews and collaborator Paul Woodful and offered a surreal take on the chat-show format. Mathews and Woodful also worked on sketches for the BBC TV series Big Train, due for broadcast in 2002.

On the live front 2001 saw an increase in the amount of venues hosting comedy events countrywide, with the Laughter Lounge opening in the GPO in Galway, and CUBA also hosting comedy events in that city. Cork’s City Limits comedy club also attracted some big names, as did the Lobby bar, while the Half Moon also opened its doors to comedy performers this year. For the second year in a row the Belfast festival included a top-class comedy bill as part of that city’s celebrations.

While some other comedy venues outside the pale seemed reluctant to inform Hoot Press of events at their venues we are reliably informed that a flourishing comedy scene exists in Dundalk, Limerick and Sligo. Perhaps if those promoters choose to tell us what’s going on at their clubs in 2002 we can pass the information on.

All of this is good news for emerging comedy talents and PJ Gallagher, currently appearing on The Jason Byrne Show, Michael Downey, John Moynes, Tommy Nicholson and Reuben Evans were among the most impressive of this year’s new crop. The number of ladies entering the comedy fray also increased substantially during 2002 with the Comedy Cellar initiating all-women bills. Priscilla Robinson, Anne Lillis, Sheila M, Amelia Crowley, Catherine Maher and Moira Gannon all proved that it’s not only the boys who’ve got the balls for comedy, and we can expect to hear a lot more from the gals in 2002. Sadly, 2001 saw the demise of lovely girls The Nualas, but Ms Gildea and Co. assure Hoot Press that they haven’t gone away, you know…

This year saw sell-out shows from Irish comedy’s A-team including Ardal O’Hanlon, Jason Byrne, Tommy Tiernan, Kevin Gildea, Dylan Moran (but only at Kilkenny, unfortunately), Michael Mee, Paddy Courtney, Brendan Grace, Eddie Bannon and Ed Byrne’s rather excellent Night At The Opera. Also treading the boards after too long an absence is Dermot Carmody, a founder member of the International’s Comedy Cellar and a very funny man.

International stars visiting our shores this year are too numerous to list, but highlights included the incomparable Johnny Vegas, Phil Kay, The League Of Gentlemen, Ross Noble and Billy Connolly. Well done to the acts and promoters concerned, and please sirs, can we have some more in 2002?

Hoot Press 2001 Comedy Top Ten:

GIG OF THE YEAR

Johnny Vegas’ first night at The Shelter, Vicar St.

KNOBS OF THE YEAR

The mobile phone-using punters who caused Phil Kay to ‘do a JJ72’ and smash his guitar in HQ.

SONIA O’SULLIVAN RUNNER (UP) AWARD

Anne Lillis

2nd place: Michael Downey

SAY SOMETHING FUNNY AWARD

Mime Reuben Evans, funniest man on radio, according to 98FM.

THE ‘I’LL GIVE YOU A BOX’ AWARD

Geraldine Kearney/Noel McHale