The International bar is home to comedy 7 nights a week. Tuesday nights are dedicated to Mish Mash. According to the website you can expect “Comedy laissez faire with a laid-back evening of standup, sketches, songs, messing & free biccies” and I have to say it didn’t disappoint.
For those of you who don’t know the International it is quite a … ahem … intimate venue. With pictures of many famous comedians adorning the walls, it does kinda feel like you dropped in for a chat and a drink to their house and they happen to be telling some jokes! This always makes for a good comedy show. Mish Mash is the baby of Andrew Stanley who has been hosting the night for 4 years. Andrew is normally joined on stage by Fred Cooke who he described as the guy from the Spar ads! Fred was missing last night as he is currently gigging at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Mish Mash is exactly what it says, a mish mash of different comedians and different styles. Last night there were 7 of them, not bad for a fiver! Including Andrew, these were Aodhgan Comiskey, Derek Ryan, Gearoid Farrelly, Neil Hickey, Ruari Campbell and Eleanor Tiernan. Most of the acts were trying out new stuff for Edinburgh or solo shows, as a comedy fan it gives me great pleasure to see new stuff first hand.
Andrew’s particular type of comedy is centered on audience participation. I did feel that sometimes the line between “having the craic” and attacking the audience was blurred which left an uncomfortable feeling. In his defence though, Andrew does know a hell of a lot about Jaffa cakes, not least that they are NOT biscuits but in actual fact a cake. He even had statistics to back this up! I do like the fact that the audience gets to pick the free biscuits by participating in a series of games. Yes people, there are actually FREE biscuits, despite the non – believers in the room.
From the collection of other comedians my personal favorites would have to be Derek Ryan and Gearoid Farrelly. The audience seemed to agree, these two got the biggest laughs.
Derek Ryan resembles an energizer bunny onstage. He isn’t afraid to march right in and tackle subjects like the Catholic Church. This guy will have you falling off your seat, from laughing so hard that is! With a quick-witted nature and some very funny material he is sure to be a firm favourite. Also he’s a country lad…someone has to love him!
Gearoid Farrelly is funny without even trying; his facial expressions alone will have you in stitches. He’s “different” and doesn’t mind admitting it. He even made the fact that he had to keep looking at his order of jokes funny. That takes some doing and is the sign of a good comedian and he’s not afraid to confront his sexuality on stage. A must see act.
My overall impression of the night was a very funny one. Good comedians and some good material. There was something lacking though, maybe the night does need two hosts? It might be worth waiting until the walking lunatic that is Fred Cooke returns from Edinburgh to head along in order to get the full Mish Mash experience, though with such a wide variety of comedians every week, there is sure to be someone to everyone’s liking every Tuesday night. 7 comedians, a fiver AND free biscuits … what more do you want?
Follow Andrew Stanley on Twitter @astanleycomedy for more information
Mish Mash @ The International Bar is on every Tuesday. Doors open 9pm. Show starts 9.30pm.
Gearoid Farrelly is playing Whelan’s on August 18th @ 8pm. Tickets 12e from all the usual outlets
super review Amanda, looking forward to heading down to the international whenever Fred gets back from Edinburgh to check out the show! love the Derek Ryan vid too, he’s hilarious!!