Dylan Moran Off The Hook Review
Dylan Moran
Off The Hook
Assembly Halls Theatre, Tunbridge Wells
17 April 2015
Reviewed by Emma Salmon
The Assembly Hall Theatre in Tunbridge Wells is an impressive example of 1930s civic architecture – essentially functional but with a nod to Art Deco. At present it is celebrating its 75 year anniversary, having opened at the outbreak of WWII, and quickly utilised to entertain the troops and raise the spirits of the local community, and it continues to host an ever changing and vibrant array of shows to this day.
Easily accessible with, importantly, very cheap parking a stone’s throw away, the 1020 seat theatre is spacious and welcoming and the booking hall staff polite and helpful. The theatre is arranged with flat and tiered stalls, and balcony, with a choice of bars and a coffee shop to cater for all pre-show tastes. When we visited the venue was unable to take credit cards, although there were signs at the bar indicating that this facility would be available soon – it was unclear as to whether this was a temporary situation, or whether an introduction of a new service.
In the reception area a member of staff was selling a selection of small books written and illustrated by Dylan Moran – he was very enthusiastic about the merchandise, being a fine art student, and was keen to show me many of the artworks and make suggestions as to which to purchase.
Dylan Moran is probably best known to the British public as the misanthropic drunken Bernard Black in the highly acclaimed dark comedy series Black Books, written in partnership with Father Ted’s Graham Linehan, and the besotted flat mate of Shaun’s girlfriend in Shaun of the Dead, who meets a grisly end at the hands of zombies. He has, however, won numerous awards for his stand-up comedy – an accolade that he dismisses off hand as “a load of media rubbish”.
On Friday night Moran was, simply, genius. Still the same acerbic and idiosyncratic view of the world that gave him the edge in his early stand up performances, but managing to have matured without resorting to the watered down ‘I’ve got older / aren’t children funny’ repertoire of too many of the alternative comedy heroes of our generation. That said, his world view has changed from angry and embittered young man, to sardonic and embittered older man, dragged unwillingly onto the middle aged bus. He was clear to point out to the twenty somethings in the audience that ‘this is as good as it gets’ as he despaired his inability to raise respect in both himself and the younger generation due to shambolic dressing, being fat and a fear and loathing of the bearded aficionados of coffee shops.
The glass of wine was still there, but the cigarettes were notably missing – their demise blamed for the 24 hour eating induced weight gain, an issue which, along with all the fun things of life that he was no longer allowed, ran through the show. He was fat, he claimed, but at least a sophisticated delicatessen fat, prosciutto and cheese fat, rather than ‘American fat’ – a fact that was emphasized by the opening moments where he took out his frustrations on a chocolate éclair.
A simple stage set – a table with water and wine, and a backdrop of his own artwork – abstract, depressingly funny and just outright weird at times – gave focus to a man who was able to take you on a strange journey of observation which covered topics as diverse as reality TV – ripping such prime time establishments as Strictly and Bake off into caustic pieces, dissecting the contending leaders in the upcoming elections (Farage – a refugee from Seventy’s sitcom) and the difference between Romance and Love – almost tragic in its painfully bittersweet truth. His assertion that life has four stages – Child, Failure, Old and Dead struck a chord, especially when we were reminded that we are only there because we are worried and know that everything in the world was in crisis.
This was a show that shined a light on the dark underbelly of modern life, but lifted us with observations which spotted the cynical humour in the everyday existence of a 42 year old man, surprised by fatherhood and the ability his wife has for taking responsibility of everything except crisp tasting. It didn’t drag, it had us wanting more (even with the encore of a reading of his attempts to write a blockbuster to challenge 50 shades of Grey) and it left me a little lighter of heart in this world of chaos.
Rating: 5/5 
Off the Hook is the UK tour, then taken to Australia and finishing in his homeland, Ireland in October. For more information visit www.dylanmoran.com/wandering
For other shows at the Assembly Hall Theatre in Tunbridge Wells visit www.assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk.
Assembly Hall Theatre, Crescent Rd, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 2LU | 01892 530613
