Review: Dan Tiernan, Going Under

Girdy & Birdy wound up at The Monkey Barrel to see Dan Tiernan’s show ‘Going Under’, which was full of laughs and surprises. 

Dan Tiernan seems to be wrapping up his stand up show Going Under so catch it while you can. He took the stage this month in Edinburgh’s Monkey Barrel, and is heading next to Glasgow’s The Stand before going south to London. After that, well, he didn’t really say… but let’s hope there’s a follow up.

Unusually, both halves of team Edinburgh Reviews rocked up to Going Under for a PR agency arranged night. That tells you Dan Tiernan is doing well enough to have a PR agency.

Perhaps less unusually, neither Girdy nor Birdy really knew what to expect. Gosh! We really played into Dan Tiernan’s clever plan and expertly orchestrated trap of assumptions by leaving it our first impressions to set the scene.

What to expect

Laughs all the way. Dan’s energetic comedy style means there are lots of surprise jokes you just don’t see coming, and he sets them up really quite well (revisiting some references along the way). 

Expect no shortage of self-deprecation, dyspraxia references and some sniper-like audience involvement. There’s also some shouting which might make your start but if you’re that fragile, live and raw comedy is always going to be a rollercoaster ride of risks. 

Dan’s show is a bit of a rollercoaster, too, ranging sometimes from the surreal of beans to cancer and suicide jokes. Laughs all the way and suicide jokes in the same set? Yep, Dan owns it with a blend of personal truth and comedy. Going Under is a show that makes you laugh and think. 

Vibe and performance

Birdy hadn’t laughed that much in quite a while, and there was very little time to recover between the next hilarious gag. Very few jokes fell flat, but there was the occasional lull, for example the time Dan asked a couple some questions about their relationship and it didn’t quite get the laughs we were hoping for. But he recovers well! 

Girdy was dog-tired as he took his seat in the Monkey Barrel (there are barrels in the Monkey Barrel, by the way) but was soon caught up with the liveliness of the gig. There’s a nice mix of spontaneity and planning in the routine.

Dan has a great – but sometimes surprising amount – of energy, which at one point sparked a bit of concern for his full glass of water bouncing atop a very juddery table as he jumped up and down on stage. Luckily, disasters were avoided! 

Things to do near the Monkey Barrel

The city centre of Edinburgh is buzzing with life, so if you’re looking for things to do, you’re really spoilt for choice. The Monkey Barrel is located very close to the Tron Kirk, which holds markets run by the Scottish Design Exchange. 

It’s also conveniently located nearby Civerinos, where you can find some of the best pizza in the city! You could decide to go walking the mile, walking the mile, walking the Royal Mile where you’ll encounter many little shops, and eventually you’ll reach Edinburgh Castle, with fantastic views over the entire city – including bustling Princes Street. 

In terms of places to stay, there are countless hotels and BnBs in the area, but if you’re wondering where to look, hotels.com is a good starting place. 

Overall

Dan Tiernan at the Monkey Barrel was a barrel of laughs, and we both felt like the 45-minute show just flew by. Some of the best jokes were the ones we just didn’t see coming, and although some quite serious topics were touched on at times, it was overall a hilarious show and one we wouldn’t hesitate to recommend to anyone we know. 

Disclaimer: Our tickets were provided for free and for to faciliate this review.