In advance of his upcoming Channel 4 sitcom, Black Books, Navan man Dylan Moran took to the stage of HQ last Sunday night to unveil his new stand-up show, the poetically-titled Ready Steady Cough. Thankfully the streamlined scripting and tight-editing required for a TV sit-com haven't impacted on his stage routines. Moran is as ramshackle and as bewildered-looking as ever.
Although still inchoate, the new material reveals that Moran has made a major creative leap. The subject matter may not have altered radically, but he's digging deeper than ever before and coming up with some material that is as good if not better than he has ever done.
A routine about the difference between male and female pornography (not so stupid or as obvious as it sounds) was stunning in its observation and execution. Yes, please, a lot more of this.
The only danger he faces is that of boxing himself into a corner - he has in the past nailed down the Luddite, pre-Raphaelite refusnik persona, it now needs an injection of intent to keep it fresh and vital.
At his best when delving into the insane minutiae of Irish domestic life (no other families in the developed world can possibly behave the way we do here) he illuminates with wide-ranging observations and a magnificent use of language.
It's this verbal dexterity that keeps him at the top of the heap. While other comics sound like they have just bought into a franchise, Moran impresses with the structure and pacing of his material. Taking as much time as he needs (as always), he builds up set-pieces in a tangential manner before finally tying the strands together.
There are some longueurs, naturally enough, but all told, this is a class show. It's not just that the alternatives these days are just too awful to contemplate, but along with The Mighty Boosh team, Moran is preserving the integrity of a popular form that is consistently under attack from people who seemingly view Chris Evans as an intellectual giant and treat rubbish prime-time television shows as a career move. This is how good comedy can be.
