2011 Edinburgh Fringe
Roisin Conaty review
Roisin Conaty delivers an appealing set. A big source inspiration for Destiny's Dickhead comes from Conaty's nan, who she lived with for some years; whilst another section derives from anecdotes of what can only be described as "Karate porn" and an odd story involving scaring a Japanese tourist.
The tales have a flowing narrative once underway but, on occasions, Conaty lost the thread and had to get momentum back by bantering with the audience. It was at moments like this where Conaty seemed unsure of her own material. To her credit, she bounces off the audience comments well, but she shouldn't have to rely on comedy from the crowd when she has ready-made material of her own which is clearly of a high standard.
By no means does Conaty storm the show or have you rolling in the aisles (which would be impossible anyway, given how cramped everyone is) but her show isn't a waste of time either. There are some particular highlights, although overall the show does come across as a warm-hearted chuckle with close friends more than anything else.
It should be noted that Conaty's advertised one hour show was disappointingly short on the day this review was conducted, clocking in at just 45 minutes. According to the programme description, her character Jackie Hump was due to appear - although this never materialised. Had Conaty not chatted with the audience, chances are the show would have ended even sooner.
Roisin Conaty: Destiny's Dickhead listing