Jason Byrne brought his Thirty Years Byrning anniversary tour to Newcastle's Tyne Theatre, delivering a masterclass in chaotic comedy joy that proved why he remains the undisputed king of live comedy.
The show, celebrating three decades of stand-up, marked a move from his usual autumnal visit to The Stand to a larger Newcastle venue. Watching him perform live remains a joy, a tonic good for the soul that should be available on prescription for anyone having a difficult time.
Byrne self-deprecatingly describes himself on social media as the “world's best stand-up, says his mammy”. In this reviewer's view, Mammy Byrne is 100% spot on.
A Celebration of Three Decades
This thirtieth anniversary tour celebrates everything that makes Jason Jason. There are references and call-backs to some of his most famous entrances, including one where he comes on stage dressed rather inappropriately for an October night in the Toon, in homage to a more memorable entrance. There are also new renditions of some of his most-loved stunts and finales involving the audience, informed by the ones fans had told him they enjoyed the most.
No two shows are ever the same. So much of what happens is sparked by his chats with the audience, and the riffs his brilliant brain then goes on, that they never could be. Many of the funniest moments come from unplanned, unscripted audience conversations. Byrne observes that this happens more in the North East than anywhere else, noting that you couldn't write this.
Unforgettable Audience Moments
People seem to find explaining what they do for a living particularly challenging in the region. Last night much hilarity ensued from his exchange with a bus driving instructor who described his profession as “I teach people how to drive buses”. Byrne's reaction was so funny he ran with it and returned to it again and again.
There was also a serial killer/toolmaker, an electrician, and an engineer whose mum did most of the answering for him. The resulting references to over-zealous mothers interfering in their sons' lives in all manner of inappropriate ways was hysterical.
Top moments included planned material around family photos in which he's been erased or edged out, and a separate, utterly brilliant routine on men's breathing and snoring and how it makes the long-suffering women in their lives feel.
A Golden Card Trick
There was a golden moment during the first of his revisited stunts, a Tommy Cooper-esque card trick. Cooper is referenced in a video that plays before the show where someone likens Byrne's brilliance to the legend. The card trick involved the aforementioned serial killer toolmaker, and it was riotously funny. The toolmaker answered a question with “I haven't got a scooby” and the combination of his accent, Byrne not immediately recognising the phrase and some attempts at 'helpful' womansplaining from the audience led to an exchange that had a woman behind yelping with the sort of painful laughter that's only ever experienced at Byrne's shows. “I know who Scooby Do is” really did almost raise the roof.
The show ends with a few more chaotic audience stunts and a thoroughly enjoyable mass singalong, and it matters not a jot if you've seen them before. The participants are different so all of them result in the same sense of only-happened-here magic that you get when you see Jason live.
Achieving thirty years of success in any career is a wonderful achievement. Achieving that milestone when your career involves making people laugh till it hurts and causing a theatreful of fans to leave feeling pure joy is special indeed. Cheers, Jason, and here's to the next thirty!
