EDINBURGH 2023: Review: ED BYRNE: TRAGEDY PLUS TIME, Assembly Rooms, Music Hall

Mark Twain was once quoted as saying, “Comedy equals tragedy plus time.” Well, Ed Byrne is here to test his equation in Ed Byrne: Tragedy Plus Time. The show revolves around the death of Byrne’s brother, Paul, a comedy director who passed away in February of 2022. Now, having let time pass, Byrne is ready to speak about his brother’s death in a standup show. 

I adore Byrne’s fast-paced and witty style of talking, able to go from a funny joke to a reflection on death within seconds without skipping a beat. With his quick wit, he is able to easily jump from story to story and still manage to connect all of them into the overarching narrative surrounding his brother’s death. He is honest, not hiding the struggles that both he and his brother faced, particularly when it came to their relationship. Along with discussing the anger he felt around his brother’s death, Byrne expresses his frustration at a range of people and things including conspiracy theorists (particularly Covid deniers), the phrase “Irish goodbye,” and James Corden. 

In an ironic twist, the darkest joke that Byrne has ever told, the one he originally based the show on, becomes almost a throwaway, a sidenote compared to the main narrative of losing his younger brother. There are even darker moments throughout the show, including when Byrne describes quite literally waiting for his brother to pass away while in a coma. The ending was even more impactful as Byrne struggled to get through tears, revealing that his parents were in the audience for that night’s performance. You can feel the love that Byrne has for his brother through his words, a tribute that one hopes his brother would be proud of. 

Ultimately, Ed Byrne: Tragedy Plus Time is a beautiful, heartwrenching, yet still hilarious hour of comedy that will leave you wanting to reach out to every loved one you’ve ever argued with and try to reconnect with them. And that’s exactly what Byrne wants, so I’d consider this show a success!

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