Review by Steve Bennett

There’s something forcefully affected about Eleanor Tiernan’s way of breathlessly barking her material at the audience, which means it lacks the fluidity and spontaneity of most stand-up.

But when you’ve material as strong as she does, the strange delivery is only a minor gripe; especially given that she holds the stage with a bright-eyed playfulness.

Tiernan has a uniquely oblique angle on the word, and her routines have a touch of whimsy while grounded in astute observation. It means her set sounds fresh and original, without being so wilfully strange it will alienate all the most dedicated followers.

Her take on ‘you know you’re an alcoholic when…’ for example is wonderfully inspired – and deliciously spot-on – without falling into any of the easy clichés the much-mined topic offers.

She’s a smart cookie, all right, with a strong comedy compass and an admirable trait of dodging the obvious. It may be almost obligatory to mention in any review that she’s Tommy Tiernan’s cousin – but give her a few years, and we might be referring to Tommy as Eleanor’s cousin.

Review date: 4 Jun 2009
Reviewed by: Steve Bennett
Reviewed at: Kilkenny Cleeres