one4review | On 17, Aug 2016

There was a time only a couple of years ago when a visit to a Patrick Monahan show was mostly the very likeable Teesider dancing around his space, hugging all his crowd and chatting with the audience. Of course there were some stories to relate but generally it was everybody having a laugh for an hour. Nothing serious, just fun.
Then last year a subtle change occurred. Monaghan still did what he is renowned for but there were elements of a more serious side to the man. And there is more of this in the 2016 offering.
Patrick is half Irish, half Iranian, born in the Middle East but with the troubles in the 80’s his family relocated to the UK. With terrorism and prejudices rife back then he focuses on these issues and the problems encountered as his non-English speaking family tryied to integrate. He jokes about IS, the IRA and UK and World politics rather than the pop culture of the period.
But fear not, it’s still a very funny show. He still has audience involvement, loads of it throughout and his international dance off at the end has everyone in stitches.
Monahan has always been a very watchable comic and definitely still is, but with Phil Nichol directing this show has a lot more structure and substance as well.
****
Reviewed by Geoff
Gilded Balloon Nightclub
20.00 to 21.00
Until 28th