Having set the internet ablaze once again thanks to a heavily-shared and not-at-all obnoxious back and forth with Newsnight’s Jeremy Paxman, the ever-loquacious Russell Brand comes to town as the Irish leg of his Messiah Complex world tour hits Dublin’s Olympia Theatre (November 11 and 12), and the Belfast Waterfront (13). Brand’s new show finds the motormouth comic in philosophical form as he muses upon the nature of celebrity and how society’s obsession with famous people has effectively replaced organised religion as we know it.
Messiah Complex has been hailed as Brand’s move away from navel-gazing fare into more tightly-focused, debate-prompting work. Linking the likes of Gandhi, Guevara, Malcolm X and Jesus Christ, he examines both sides of the iconography coin; extolling their virtues while simultaneously shedding light on some of the murkier aspects associated with those we worship. And jokes, too, of course. Lots of ‘em.
Further blunderbuss comedy is expected from Al Murray, whose famous Pub Landlord character stops off at Vicar St. on November 15. Speaking to Craig Fitzpatrick in the last issue, Murray gave fair warning as to what Dublin can expect.
“I do a thing in the show where I take money off people in the front couple of rows,” he revealed. “As it happens, it goes to my charity, but I get people going, ‘He took our money!’ – Yeah, I’m a fucking comic! We’re supposed to be chaotic and mischievious and all those things. Don’t expect, if you give me money, to get it back! I mean, really!”
Bet you wish you didn’t spring for those front-row tickets now, eh? One man unlikely to shake you down is Brendan O’Carroll, who takes his raucous For The Love Of Mrs Brown stage show to The Odyssey, Belfast for a five-night November 19 – 23 run. Dublin follows in December. Meanwhile, the awardwinning Stephen Lynch rolls into Belfast’s Mandela Hall on November 8 and Dublin’s Olympia Theatre the following night with his mirthsome brand of musical comedy in tow.

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Tony Law headlines Mandela Hall, Belfast on November 9
Pat Shortt takes over the INEC Gleneagle Hotel, Kerry on November 16
Karl Spain begins a three-night residency at the Laughter Lounge, Dublin on November 21
Jimmy Carr kicks off his Gagging Order tour at the Royal Theate, Castlebar on November 22