Comedian Ed Byrne 'curious' to know Derry reaction to new show 'Tragedy plus Time' in the Millennium Forum

Speaking to the Journal ahead of his return to Derry, Ed outlined how, on paper, the show, titled ‘Tragedy plus Time.’ ‘sounds like a real downer,’ but it’s far from it.

"It’s really about dealing with tragedy through comedy. Mark Twain came up with the idea that comedy is tragedy plus time. Something that is not funny at the time could become funny later. So, I look at that notion through the lens of a minor tragedy – having my car broken into and seeing the funny side of having my bag nicked and getting a new window, to the more serious tragedy of dealing with the death of my little brother a few years ago.

"It doesn’t sound like a very fertile ground, but I think Irish people, in particular, would appreciate that funny stuff does kind of happen around the subject of death.”

Irish people are known to have quite an open and frank attitude to death and it is for this reason that Ed is looking forward to seeing the reaction of the Derry audience. The Millennium Forum is the first Irish date of the tour.

“I’ve been to Britain, Australia and New York with it, so I’m very curious to know whether the more philosophical, glib attitude to death that Irish people have will mean the show works better, or maybe it won’t work as well! British audiences are so shocked by such a lackadaisical attitude that it’s funny to them. Maybe I’ll go to Ireland and they’ll agree too much. I’ve a feeling I’ll have to be on my toes. I think when I start doing Ireland with this show it’ll be like a different show.”

‘Tragedy plus Time’ has received rave reviews, with Rolling Stone calling it: ‘“Hilarious, extremely dark, profoundly touching and resolutely unsentimental. Ed Byrne has plumbed the very depths of his soul and found something verging on greatness.’

Broadwaybaby added: “Ed Byrne breaks the five-star rating system to the point where multiples of stars could be added to this review and it will still not be close enough to what he deserves for this show.”

The London Evening Standard said: ““A fantastically funny and moving monologue where there is no doubt that we are seeing the authentic Ed… Byrne has hit new heights,”

Ed’s looking forward to his Derry date, which he ‘promises is funny’.

"It’s what he would have wanted. He wouldn’t have wanted me to do some misery memoir. Comedy and tragedy work well hand in hand. Often, you see in sitcoms like MASH, you’ll have a serious moment, punctuated by a laugh. It’s a new thing for me to be doing, but it’s not a new thing.”

Tickets are available from the Millennium Forum Box Office. Telephone 71 264455 (option 1) or visit millenniumforum.co.uk for bookings.