Rich Hall tonight in Dolan's

PERRIER award winning comedian Rich Hall, famously the inspiration for the character of Moe Syzlak in the Simpsons, comes to Limerick this Thursday night for the popular Dolan’s Dot Comedy gig.
The American comedian and writer has, in fact, lived in the UK for at least the past two decades, and is a household name for his regular turns on Have I Got News for You, QI, 8 out of 10 Cats and Never Mind the Buzzcocks.
An Edinburgh Fringe favourite - where he scooped the prestigious Perrier award in 2000 - Hall’s comedic style is something of the grouchy, deadpan comic, and it is not hard to imagine why Matt Groening credits him as the inspiration for Moe in the Simpsons, one of that show’s most popular characters.
A so-called “a master of absurdist irony”, Hall wastes little time on almost every appearance in making a caustic comments about his fellow countrymen, and life across the pond.
Hall got his start in comedy on American sketch shows, including Saturday Night Live, Late Night with Conan O'Brien and the Late Show with David Letterman, for which he won an Emmy award.
One of his most famous characters is his own grizzled uncle, Otis Lee Crenshaw, the much-convicted country music singer, whom he has appeared as in routines, as well as releasing albums and making a movie about the man.
A cerebral comic, Hall regularly sells out gigs across the UK, and comes to Limerick for this one-off show this Thursday.
Limerick’s enthusiasm for stand-up comedians shows no signs of abating, with top-line comedians in town every month, if not week.
However, few reach the heights set by Hall, and this promises to be a truly entertaining night of laughter.

NOTE There is no support for this gig, doors open at 8pm, with Rich Hall on stage at 8.45pm sharp. The comedian will perform two 45min sets, with a break in the middle.
Enjoy!

Limerick's 13th UnFringed Festival begins this Wednesday

THE 13th UnFringed Festival kicks off this Wednesday and sees a busy and innovative programme of fringe events taking place in the city over the following five days.
Fast establishing itself as one of the premier fringe theatre, comedy, music and dance events in the country, the newly streamlined five day programme boasts a number of Irish - and indeed world - premieres among its line-up.
The festival opens with an event that typifies the exciting nature of UnFringed, beginning with Cirque de Legume, a new piece of theatre about two performers who try to put on a Cirque du Soleil-type circus show using nothing but a chair and a box of old vegetables. The show was a winner at the Dublin Fringe Festival last year.



Site-specific theatre is very important to UnFringed, as seen in previous years with theatre performed in Leamy House and Stix pool hall on Nicholas Street - and this year is no exception, with Anu Productions’ Memory Deleted.
“Memory Deleted is a really interesting piece which has been specially commissioned for the festival, taking place in the Boutique Hotel in Denmark Street,” said Joanne Beirne, artistic director with the Belltable, who present UnFringed.
“You will get, when you go to the hotel, a room key, and you will see what unfolds. The hotel room holds the lives and experiences of people across a number of years - and that is what the play is about.”
One of the other noted plays to be performed is the exciting Elena Bolster’s Beast, plus Spinal Krapp by Darren Maher, well known to UnFringed audiences.
Another noted feature of UnFringed is the rehearsed readings which take place, allowing the audience to see a play in its early stages of development - an interesting and useful exercise for both audience and practitioners. Several will take place this year, including Ken Bourke’s Laetitia, fellow local playwright Helena Enright’s Aquero, and Amalgamotion’s Dos Palabras. Choke Comedy will perform a series of specially developed sketches under the amusing tagline of ‘Pure Sketchy’, while Daghdha Dance Company will present ‘Rolling’, developed in tandem with New York guest artist Chase Grandoff.
There will be plenty for children and all of the family, including the Irish Improv Orchestra accompanying Looney Tunes cartoons, and the Lords of Strut, who will perform their amusing acrobatics on Thomas Street on Friday at 1.30pm.
Finally, local musician Steve Ryan - formerly of Giveamanakick fame - will perform as Windings (pictured below) in Red Cross Hall, and has promised a few surprises and some new music from his forthcoming album, while Nick Carswell and the Elective Orchestra will perform at the UnFringed awards ceremony in Dolan's on Sunday night.
For full details on UnFringed 2010, see www.belltable.ie or Listings on page 46.