Dylan Moran: What It Is - Live

Introduction

Market research has indicated that I am a miserable, misanthropic sod the whole year round. That is except for Christmas, which is when I decide to wet myself with laughter, making up for the other 11 months of innate grumpiness and antisocial tendencies. That's why all stand up comedy DVDs are released at the same moment each year. This year I will be wearing adult diapers to watch Dylan Moran's latest DVD, which captures one night of his What It Is tour, recorded in May 2009 at the Sydney State Theatre.

Dylan Moran does a fine line in grumpiness, although he does temper it with an Irish lilt, a playful twinkle in the eye, an unkempt profusion of nervous energy, and a facility with the English language that seems effortless, but can make you melt at its sheer elegance. The man is overqualified as a stand up comic, but I found his devastating wit to be unique when I first saw his Monster DVD. This year he tells us What It Is, and I approached this disc with an unseemly measure of eagerness.

The Disc

One stereo soundtrack, clear and audible throughout, a very pleasant anamorphic transfer, and optional subtitles (selected from the extras menu) make this a well-presented disc.

There are animated menus to take in, but the extras are minimal. There is a gallery with 17 comic art images, and 7 minutes worth of comedy skits, written and directed by Dylan Moran. There are three in total, brief satires on modern politics.

Conclusion

This scruffy looking, tousle haired, laconic individual ambles onto stage, looking somewhat bemused and lost, although to warm applause it must be said, and he half mumbles and half stumbles his way through the first half-minute of monologue. It's like he's warming up though, as what follows is 77 minutes of comedic art. It doesn't take Dylan Moran long to get into full flow, and once he does his observations on life and the human condition are a sheer joy. He's one of those comedians that I particularly enjoy, the sort that paints worlds with words, and Dylan Moran is a master artist. He'll take you by the scruff of the neck and drag you through his skewed perspective, hit you with bullet points of verbal brilliance, and take you by the hand and waltz you through the mundane absurdities of existence. His canvas is the world, and his subject is everyone in it.


The ever so tiny, nay miniscule fly in the ointment is that this was filmed before an Australian audience, and he does tailor his material for the local crowd. Not everyone may get the marsupial quips and the antipodean politics, but it's such a small niggle that you'll hardly notice it. In fact, you may even be grateful for the opportunity to draw breath. My initial concern was at the short run time. This Christmas, when some comics are releasing two-hour sets, or even two disc collections, 77 minutes seems pretty scant. Don't be concerned though, as 77 minutes with Dylan Moran is more than enough. His material is so dense, he offers so much, and on several layers that the comedy centre of your brain will begin to tire long before the show ends. This is one of those occasions where quality outshines quantity. Be warned that Dylan Moran's eloquence does not preclude him from employing some of the more colourful metaphors. Why is it that on the lips of most people, profanity can be ugly and clumsy, yet in the hands of someone like Dylan Moran, it's wielded with the skill of a master fencer with a rapier? Make room in your Christmas stocking for this one. Actually why bother waiting? On the same day as What It Is is released, a three DVD collection of all Dylan Moran's discs so far will be released, as will an audiobook version of this show.