It's plain to see where Dara O'Briain's biggest strengths lie. The genial Irish comic is positively bursting with personality, brimming with quick wit and exploding with almost manic energy. It's also easy to see where O'Briain's biggest weakness lies - in his material. Though he's not short on smart observations and snappy ripostes, his set is a little short on the meaty stuff.
Which is a pity, because if O'Briain could beef up his content a bit, then he could really slay 'em. At Vicar Street on Wednesday, he spent much of the first part of his show interviewing the audience about where they were from, what movies they'd seen and what sports they were into. E Television, but it did succeed in getting the crowd on his side and getting them ready for the real gags.
Eventually, he got stuck into such hot topics as the phoney business of e-commerce, the evils of learning Irish, and the scare-free nature of The Blair Witch Project. When his routines are well thought-out, they can be hilarious - he just has to think up a lot more.
