Things have changed a lot since Ed Bryne’s triumph of a show, If I’m Honest, first appeared at Edinburgh Fringe Festival four years ago. Game of Thrones is no longer culturally relevant, and various prime ministers have come and gone. Byrne’s kids have also changed; they’re older, more annoying, and more like him. What remains steadfast is Byrne’s fixation on one question: what have I passed onto them?
The Irish master of observational comedy grapples with this question with a frenetic energy that has defined his brand as a stand-up for over two decades. His hour-long set is packed to the brim with well-observed rants and personal anecdotes ranging from the pains of parenthood to hot takes on pop culture. For example, Paw Patrol is televised trash and middle-class interior design is inane torture.
All the while, Byrne - as spritely as ever at 51 - gallops across Malthouse Theatre’s Beckett stage with a permanent grin and near-boundless supply of energy. He’s the comic equivalent of dropping Mentos in a Diet Coke can; sweet, bubbly, explosive. An unbridled live-wire, he propels through every transition and punchline with breakneck speed and well-honed instincts for comedic timing and pacing.
There’s nothing more magnetic than watching an established comic at the top of his game. Between sharp observations on fatherhood, child-rearing and the glorious tedium of triathletes, Byrne returns to moments of self-degrading humour with the endearing self-awareness and infectious chagrin that has endeared him to audiences for years.
Despite the emotional potential of the show’s opening question, you won’t find If I’m Honest ending with the earnest turn in the final act that has come to define much contemporary comedy since 2019. Byrne stays true to his skill set, delivering a tried and tested formula he’s spent years perfecting. A master of his craft, you can expect a tight, funny hour of well-crafted comedy.