Posts Tagged ‘dead cat bounce’

Now I’m a little follicully challenged in the moustache region so Movember is a bit of an impossibility for me to participate in fully but it doesn’t mean I can’t help with a little bit of support from the sidelines!

First up a motivational song to inspire any of you stragglers who haven’t committed to growing the mo’ yet…

Check out these style options before you get growing so you can look your best…

Read the rest of this entry »

Now we all know I’m a Dead Cat Bounce fan. I’ve seen this trio perform as a comedy rock band on more than a few occasions and I was therefore excited and bamboozled in equal measure to hear they would be making their Absolut Fringe debut in Smock Alley Theatre without their instruments! Would they manage to connect with their audience and express their intended message without the aid of a guitar riff or 7, daringly tight pants or a drum solo? There really was only one way to find out…

Upon entering the cosy auditorium in Smock Alley Theatre you were immediately drawn into the world of the circus, thanks to the cleverly chosen background music, and it wasn’t long before the play “about friendship, poverty, stolen dreams, despair, tiny little cars, massive shoes, and all the other things that can happen when three men take a stupid job far too seriously” began.

The hour-long comedy play was laden with traditional clown humour and took a very funny, tongue-in-cheek look at how excessively serious people can be about the importance of their jobs. The repeated referral to the ‘correct’ use of a custard pie was insightful in ways you wouldn’t expect and the crowd were very much enthralled in the action right to the end. With lines like “I’m a fucking clown, I’m not trying to avoid attention!” dotted throughout the dialogue it’s not difficult to see this play as a satirical look at modern society in general and perhaps more specifically the entertainment industry.

Tensions run high after a none too successful performance

Each of the three clowns had their own distinct role and character traits which  they melded together seamlessly. From the avant-garde college educated clown, seeking to share his ‘art’ with the audience, to the unintentionally creepy clown who loves nothing more than some traditional slapstick humour, to the old worn-out, disillusioned sad clown, this ragtag bunch of protagonists face a common dilemma; what do you do when your life doesn’t turn out quite the way you hoped it would?

Perhaps it’s time to remove the masks?

I won’t give away how it ends but I will say ‘Clowns’ is everything you could want in a one-act comedy play. It is intelligently scripted and wonderfully staged, filled with laugh-aloud moments which successfully break up the tension that is created by the emotionally charged story. It’s a witty and satirical look at modern society that doesn’t challenge so much as coax you to examine the obvious problems in our workplace culture. And you certainly won’t be expecting the twist at the end!:)

To see the comedy rock trio easily slipping into alternative roles yourself head to Smock Alley Theatre where they will be performing ‘Clowns’ again tonight, Friday & Saturday at 9pm. Tickets can be purchased here.

Apologies randomania fans, my poor addled teacher brain lost track of the days of the week (again!) so here’s what’s been amusing me online a little later than normal! enjoy!

@ComedyTruth

Cop: “When is your birthday?” Me: ” July 30.” Cop: “What year?” Me: “Every year!!” Cop: “Well played..”

@ComedyTruth

Retweet . this . tweet . if . the . periods . slowed . down . your . reading . But now everything is ok because there is none :p

“Time is a great teacher, but unfortunately it kills all its pupils.”

- Louis Hector Berlioz”

Hmm, there may have been a theme to this randomania afterall….

As you already know the Absolut Fringe Festival takes over Dublin once again from the 8th – 23rd Sept. The line up is incredibly varied and we know you’re spoiled for choice, so we’ve helpfully gathered together the rest of the comedy options to  make your decision making a little easier…

Tumble Circus – This is what we do for a living

Peel back the canvas: Tumble Circus reveal the truly human side of the circus. No fanfare or sequins, quite simply the extraordinary skill and passion of two carnies on a life-long adventure. Comedy circus with a theatrical narrative of how a Dublin boy and a Swedish girl met on Grafton Street in the 90’s and fell in and out of love. Featuring flying hula hoops, slapstick acrobatics, stunning aerial rope and daring double trapeze, it has wowed audiences of all ages the world over. 2012 winner Best Circus and Physical Theatre Show Adelaide Fringe.

The show runs from the 17th – 22nd Sept at 6.30pm daily in Smock Alley Theatre- Boys’ School. Tickets cost €13

Abie Philbin Bowman – The Revolution will be Televised, ReTweeted & Available on 4OD

What do we want? GLOBAL JUSTICE! When do we want it? IN 140 CHARACTERS! We all grew up hearing about “800 years of British oppression”. But that ended in the 1920s. Then the Catholic Church took over. Now we’re finally standing up to the Church — and the Troika takes control of Ireland. To paraphrase Oscar Wilde, “to be colonised once may be considered unfortunate. To be colonised twice, looks like carelessness. But to be colonised a third time… what’s with that?” Revolutionary comedy from the creator of Jesus: The Guantanamo Years, Pope Benedict: Bond Villain and Stand-Up Against The Bankers.

The show runs from the 17th – 22nd Sept at 7pm daily in Smock Alley Theatre- 1662. Tickets cost €13

Dead Cat Bounce – Clowns

International comedy supergroup Dead Cat Bounce make their first appearance at ABSOLUT Fringe with their brand new comedy play Clowns. After touring the world relentlessly as a comedy rock band, Dead Cat Bounce put down the instruments and return to Dublin with a play about friendship, poverty, stolen dreams, despair, tiny little cars, massive shoes, and all the other things that can happen when three men take a stupid job far too seriously. Dead Cat Bounce have performed to packed houses and critical acclaim at all the major international comedy festivals from Edinburgh to Melbourne to Montreal. They recently completed their first feature film and are currently writing another film for the Irish Film Board. Directed by Megan Riordan.

The show runs from the 17th – 22nd at 9pm daily in Smock Alley Theatre- 1662. Tickets cost €14

Lords of Strut – Sell Out Tour

“People used to say we would never make it… all those people can go and SUCK IT!” Featuring rocking acrobatics, kick-ass dance routines, and even their own range of Man Beauty Products! This is an absurd and surreal comedy from Ireland’s hardest working man-band. Brothers Famous Seamus and Sean-tastic: bonded by their lust for fame and the illusion of their own celebrity, broken by their twisted relationship and their fear of failure. Sometimes all that’s left to do is dance! They are cocky, they are clueless, and they are delightfully good at it!

The show runs from 18th – 22nd Sept at 8.15pm daily in Smock Alley Theatre – Boys’ School. Tickets cost €13

Rubberbandits with support from Pop Céilí

We predict a riot as the Rubberbandits make their return to ABSOLUT Fringe. Last time we saw these guys it was before anyone knew they had a horse outside or 10 million hits on Youtube. Following a string of sold out shows from New York to Newcastle, Blindboy Boatclub and Mr. Chrome are back on Irish soil and ready to party. This plastic fantastic duo will bring their funny, filthy, comedy rave to the heart of the capital in a gig that will have the whole town talking. This outrageous live show combines music sketches and on-stage insanity is a definite sell-out so book your ticket as soon as possible!

POP CÉILÍ are back with their signature intoxicating blend of live trad/rock covers and mash-ups of contemporary and extraordinary pop phenomena. Featuring lovely cailíns, astonishing gúnas, and a raucous set to kick off the night. hAon Dó Trí, glitter and shaking it like a Polaroid picture all welcome.

The show is on for one night only; Sat 22nd Sept at 10.30pm in Meeting House Square. Tickets cost €16

Well now we’ve done the hard part all you have to do is pick the shows you want to see and go book your tickets…. what are you waiting for?? Go now before they’re all sold out!!

This weekend sees one of the greatest festivals to hit Ireland. Electric Picnic. Did you think we forgot about it? How could we? It has a comedy tent!! Quite an impressive one at that we might add! Boasting names such as Patrick Kielty who is performing his only Irish tour date at the Picnic.

The Comedy tent aims to cater for all tastes and includes comedians from each genre such as The Steve Frost Improv All Stars for all you imrov lovers out there to David O’Doherty and Dead Cat Bounce for all you musical comedy lovers. Eric Lalor, Danny Dowling and Fred Cooke are fighting fit in the stand up corner.

The Picnic also aims to give new and up and coming comedians a chance to shine so this year new comers like Tomie James and Shazwanda are taking to the stage!

The Comedy tent is open for business on Saturday and Sunday from 1.30pm and will be held together by your charming MC’s Andrew Stanley and Damian Clarke.

So if you are travelling to Electric Picnic this weekend and need some TLC on the afternoon after the night before why not pop in to the comedy tent and laugh that headache away eh?

Full details of the line up can be found here