Becoming a father at twenty-one is not easy; prams are extortionate, and you have to take care of some little person who does not care for the toilet etiquette of their elders. Liam Farrelly found this out the hard way, and it was so funny he decided to base an entire comedy show around it. In an intimate and personal show with it’s fair share of riotous laughter, Farrelly is a joy to behold. His characteristic Glaswegian dry wit is on fine form as he paints lurid pictures of his weirdest and most endearingly personal escapades.
As he takes you on this journey with him, he mixes low-brow humour with razor-sharp wit, creating an interesting but sometimes jarring juxtaposition. His momentum is also admirable, and he keeps a steady pace as he rattles through pithy observations and humourous anecdotes; he will drop an oddly timed or awkward joke every so often, but he doesn’t allow his pace to stall. Laughing through the pain is the name of the game with Farrelly – his show is about some truly distressing experiences – and it makes him hugely relatable and affable; he has the crowd reminiscing on their own experiences as he recalls his life.
He doesn’t seem quite sure how to end his show, however, and he leaves you with a slide show as he scuttles off stage before the official end of the show. It’s all very nice and loving, but it feels slightly forced – it would have helped to have a more authentic ending to an endearing and hugely funny hour.
Liam Farrelly: Flipbook, 16.10 The Stand, until August 25
https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/liam-farrelly-flipbook
