Dara's had enough (From Surrey Comet)

Dara's had enough

3:37pm Thursday 28th September 2006 in Comedy By Guardian Reporter

Dara O'Briain's national stand-up tour winds into Wimbledon this week on a tidal wave of mild irritation - an emotion the Dubliner adopts in his stage persona to such telling effect.

Despite his recent TV success, presenting shows like Mock The Week and Turn Back Time, Dara remains fed up that so many things in life just don't work as you'd expect them to.

He describes this outlook as "warm angry rather than Mark Lamarr angry."

The 33-year-old, who delivered an outstanding display of such comic crotchetiness on BBC's Room 101, carries on by underlining why this persona functions so effectively in stand-up.

"The idea of disgruntlement is one thing comedians do better than every other art form," he said.

"You can paint grief or love, but you can't paint being annoyed by call centres.

"Broad, proper, grown-up emotions are covered by broad, proper, grown-up art forms like painting, music and film. Whereas niggly, petty grievances are perfect for stand-up."

So why is being hacked off so funny?

"The old chestnut is that comedy is the new rock'n'roll. It's true that it is live and that it can soar, but comedy doesn't lead to the same sort of inspirational moments as rock'n'roll. What it does best is highlight the infuriating minutiae of everyday life.

"It's so much more fun to discuss the things we hate and it's simpler for an audience to relate to you being exasperated than to you being content.

"Think of Jack Dee or Victor Meldrew. If a comedian is happy with his lot, then he ceases to be funny and merely becomes irritating. No one wants to see a smug git on stage."

So is Dara, who seems the most charming and courteous of men off stage, this irate all the time?

"Of course not," he says, with a hearty laugh.

"In real life, I'm actually terribly contented, but I couldn't say that on stage. It would ruin my whole act!"

Dara O'Briain, New Wimbledon Theatre, The Broadway, Wimbledon, Saturday, September 30, 7.30pm, £15-£17. For tickets call 0870 060 6646 or visit newwimbledontheatre.co.uk.