Comedian David O’Doherty cannot wait to return to Aberdeen – mainly to speak to his fans about oil rig ads and the ‘sad’ north-east museum he loves.
The Irish funnyman, who last performed in the Granite City in 2018, will open the Aberdeen International Comedy Festival on Thursday October 6. He’ll return to the Tivoli Theatre and also perform on Friday October 7.
We caught up with the comedian to learn more about his new show ‘whoa is me’, find out whether he still travels with a keyboard from 1986 and we also learned why he was recently hit with a pot plant…
Check out our interview with David O’Doherty below:
Why did you decide to name your show whoa is me?
I’m always tempted to write cheques I can’t cash with my show titles. Like ‘David O’Doherty – Master of Trapeze’ or ‘David O’Doherty Will Eat a Whole Car Live On Stage Tonight.’ I like Whoa Is Me. You have to really go for it with the ‘whoa’. ‘WHHHHHOOOA is me’.
What topics do you talk about in your new show?
It changes quite a lot. The other night, the show was in an old cinema and there was a poster for a horror movie called The Boy Who Cried Werewolf, and we spent a lot of the time discussing what the plot of it might be. Just imagining the people of the town telling the boy it wasn’t a werewolf but a very, very hairy man.
In Aberdeen I imagine we’ll discuss the weird ads for oil rigs in the airport and the very sad Maritime Museum – I love that place, but it is sad.
Will your keyboard make an appearance?
Yeah! I’ve written quite a few new songs lately. It’s about half songs, half chat.
What do you enjoy about being on tour?
I like taking my show to places I like, like Aberdeen. However, the other night in Bristol there was a punch-up between two biker gangs in the hotel bar and I got hit on the arm with a pot plant. Doubt that will happen again in Aberdeen.
When was the last time you were in Aberdeen? Are you looking forward to coming back?
I was there in 2018. It was the last show of my tour and at the end of the gig, I invited the whole audience to a quiet bar round the corner. I’m not sure they were expecting such an influx at 10.30pm on a Thursday. Well, at the end I told everyone I’d see them in 2020. Then somebody ate a bat.
What has been the most memorable show of your career?
I did a show in the Sydney Opera House a few years ago and that felt like a bucket list thing. It’s the only national monument I’ve ever played in.
Are Scottish audiences different from Irish ones?
Not really. Everyone laughs at the same things – when you accidentally hit your head off the mic or when a drunk man skids down the stairs on his bum.
You’ll be in Aberdeen as part of the comedy festival. Do you plan to catch up with any other comedians or see their shows while you’re in the city?
Colin Hoult is at the festival! His show is one of the best shows I’ve ever seen! Go to that. Also, please come to mine.
What are your plans for the rest of this year?
I’ll tour till early December and write another children’s book. I want to do more cycling too. And learn how to cook risotto.
Don’t miss David O’Doherty’s show in Aberdeen. He’ll perform on Thursday October 6 and Friday October 7 at The Tivoli Theatre. Tickets can be purchased here.
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