The Small Pale Nerd at the End of the World review: Colm O’Regan’s wry observations

The Small Pale Nerd at the End of the World

The Circular

★★★☆☆

At the beginning of The Small Pale Nerd at the End of the World, his new comedy show, Colm O’Regan declares that it’s about him. And it is. O’Regan goes on to devote the best part of an hour to wry observations on what it means to be a middle-aged Irishman who tells jokes for a living.

O’Regan explores masculinity in (midlife) crisis and how men cope with the inevitable; from triathlons (useful only for those training to escape moated castles) to romantic affairs (too much hassle, says his wife – the most romantic thing she’s ever said). Ultimately, O’Regan’s Gen X crisis of masculinity stems from uselessness. He doesn’t do DIY jobs and his wife pointedly “gets a man in” to do what he can’t.

This is a deeply personal show full of charm and laughter, and there is plenty of energetic audience interaction. “How long are you bald now, sir?” he asks a man near the front row. “About 40 years” comes the game response. Some jokes will be familiar to readers of O’Regan’s column in the Irish Examiner, others will be familiar (an analogy between Brexit and dating), and many observations about today’s masculinity feel broad (we are told that young men call each other “bro” and are comfortable with hugs). At one point O’Regan says that men should invest in power tools, but a finer chisel is needed for this show to reach its potential.

[ Dublin Fringe Festival reviews ]

Continues at The Circular, as part of Dublin Fringe Festival, until Friday, September 22nd