Perhaps he wanted to get offstage promptly to read the Draft Withdrawal Agreement. Whatever the reason, clocking-in at roughly an hour, Dylan Moran’s set last night must rank as one of the Apollo’s shortest-ever stand-up gigs.
However, what it lacked in quantity it made up for in quality. The evening brimmed over with distinctive jokes and sideways observations as the elegantly dishevelled and latterly teetotal misanthrope tackled subjects as diverse as gender fluidity, Brexit and the way that cats resemble a certain distinguished late actor.
The main motifs were those faithful staples, ageing and relationships. Moran compared his youth with modern life. Growing up in bleak Seventies Ireland — “Chernobyl with priests” — it was so dull even rain was exciting. By contrast his children have everything instantly at their fingertips.
So are they happier? No, they smell of “cheese and onion-flavoured despair”. Existence is awful, dinner parties are hell, and then we die. Women know everything, men are fools. It is hardly earth-shattering news that women and men differ, yet this inspired wordsmith made it feel precisely that way before leaving everyone wanting more. Much more.
Tonight, then Alexandra Palace, N22, Dec 7 & 8 (0844 844 0444, ticketmaster.co.uk)
