This show feels less like watching a stand-up comedian set and more like catching up with a friend you’ve known for years. Carl Donnelly’s relaxed, conversational style immediately puts the audience at ease. This makes his work-in-progress show feel effortlessly easy to listen to while creating an intimate environment for the audience. Every anecdote, whether it’s about crime in Australia, the quirks of London’s trains, or the realities of raising two children, unfolds with the ease of a chat in the pub, even when the material steers into darker territory.
Donnelly’s strength lies in his ability to make a topic that is considered mundane feel endlessly entertaining. Reflections of living in Australia and fatherhood provide an emotional backbone to the hour of comedy. A brilliantly observed routine trying not to swear in front of his daughter and toilet issues would prove one of the biggest laughs of the afternoon. The standout story is undoubtedly about him and a friend attempting to scatter his father’s ashes, during what gradually resembles a pub crawl. It really showcases Donnelly’s ability to find humour from life’s messiest and unexpected situations.
As a work in progress, there are moments where ideas are still taking shape, but Donnelly’s easy rapport and years of experience ensure the room stays with him throughout the show. I would recommend this show as it’s consistently funny and makes every tangent feel natural, resulting in an hour of warm, honest and quietly confident comedy.
Carl Donnelly: Extra Show!, 14:25, CabVol 1 at Monkey Barrel Comedy (Cabaret Voltaire) 2:25 pm from August 3-9th
https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/carl-donnelly-extra-show
