Roger O’Sullivan has a brilliant way of mixing Catholicism and Irishness into comedy that is impossible not to laugh at. The show opens with an impressively edited video featuring online game characters, the Devil and O’Sullivan himself, immediately setting the tone for an inventive and patriotic hour.
His material about growing up Catholic and the family normalities that come with it had the audience in stitches, particularly the Irish members. Additionally, he took us through his days as an altar boy, presenting them as the priest’s “backup dancers”. Alongside this, he has edited a Guitar Hero-style game featuring the Body of Christ to help people recognize when to ring the bell in church.
There is plenty of inventive colonial humour too, including a comparison between the IRA and ISIS, not having the same style of soundtracks was hilarious. His observations about Irish Catholicism and the morbid fascination with death feel both culturally specific and surprisingly universal. O’Sullivan ends on a genuinely touching note: a reminder not to let anyone diminish your ambitions, from the perspective of an Irishman moving to London. It is a surprisingly sincere finish to an hour spent happily taking the piss.
Roger O’Sullivan: Divil May Cry, 17:45 at Monkey Barrel 2 at Monkey Barrel Comedy at 5:45pm from August 6-11th – 13-17th – 19-30th
https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/roger-o-sullivan-divil-may-cry
