Even if his accent is not a giveaway, it wouldn’t take long for you to realise that David O’Doherty is from Ireland. He’s enthusiastic and loquacious, with this gift of the gab a perfect trait for a man whose actual job is to be funny. Certainly it’s an advantage to hail from the land of Oscar Wilde and all those other Irish wits: being a natural-born storyteller is in O’Doherty’s genes.
Right from the start, he has the audience on side as he makes gentle fun of The Capitol’s admittedly strange Minecraft-like ceiling before launching energetically into his routine, which begins with whole-hearted gratitude to everyone who’s made it possible for him to ply his “stupid” craft of being a comedian.
Luckily for all of us, he’s damn good at this job. With his dinky little keyboard accompanying him in this very low-tech gig, O’Doherty half shouts, half sings a number of ditties that include an apology to his mother for being a giant baby and hurting her during birth (a fact that she never lets him forget). Then there’s his version of his jazz dad’s community service song about crossing the road safely…
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Ready, Steady David O’Doherty is an apposite title as he’s a solid performer, provoking strong and regular laughter with his observations of the minutiae of life. He’s grateful to be back touring in Melbourne and we’re equally grateful to have him here again.
Tickets: $32-$43
Ready, Steady David O’Doherty will be performed at The Capitol until 21 April 2024 as part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival (MICF 2024).
