BY SEÁN P. FEENY
Restructuring sees Neil Delamere, star of RTE’s The Panel, BBC’s The Blame Game and Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow and Channel 4’s Stand Up for the Week come to terms with the changes in the country, the world and more importantly his own living arrangements.
Following the sell out success of his last show, Implement of Divilment (Out Now on DVD), Neil has been on national tour with this highly anticipated new show since October.
Neil said ‘restructuring’ is a word that keeps creeping up on us in recent time, whether it’s restructuring our debts, or the restructuring of the public services.
There has also been a lot of restructuring in Neil’s life from everyday things like moving house, to important changes in his career and so there was plenty material for him.
If you see Neil live on stage or television you will be highly unlikely to hear an anecdote or joke twice. The Offalyman is constantly working on new material.
“I write a new show for the Edinburgh Fringe every year, but for a country the size of Ireland you need to anyway. When you’re going back to the same places on each tour, you can’t do the same material again, it wouldn’t be fair on the audience,” he said.
But as well as his new show’s material, you can expect a lot of off script banter from the Edenderry native who just loves getting to know his audience during a show.
“I did a show in Carlow recently and there was guy in the front explaining a bit too much during the show and when I mentioned a trumpet I turned to him and said I’m from Offaly which produced legendary trumpet player Johnny Carroll, so I can explain what a trumpet is – you’re from Carlow, a county that has only produced Richie Kavanagh.
“There was a huge roar from the crowd and as it turned out, about seven or eight members of Richie’s family were in the audience. We met each other after the show and took photographs and had a good laugh, this is what I really enjoy about live shows.”
Neil is a very regular visitor to Donegal and has great knowledge about the county and enjoys the stories he gets from here and especially its people.
There is one man Neil particularly enjoys to hear about, a man he describes as the quintessential rural Irishman – that is none other than Glenfin’s very own postman and hobby weatherman, Michael Aimsir Gallagher.
“I started touring in October and it’s going on until around May. Donegal is definitely always on the tour. I grew in a town with no facilities like Ballybofey or Letterkenny have.
“Despite the long trek, An Grianán is one of those handful of places you always love returning to as the facilities are of such a high standard and you know you will be taken care of.”
Joining Neil on the night to warm up the crowd will be Gearoid Farrelly. “I know it’s a cliché thing to say, but Gearoid really is one of the rising stars of Irish comedy.”
He has written for An Audience with Katherine Lynch and Republic of Telly, has appeared on The Lucy Kennedy Show (Panelist), The Savage Eye, Maeve Higgins’ Fancy Vittles, Tonight with Craig Doyle, The Panel and more recently featured on PJ Gallagher’s Meet Your Neighbours.
Neil Delamere performs his brand new show Restructuring at An Grianán Theatre, Letterkenny on Friday, February 17. Tickets are on sale now, for further information on how to book tickets visit www.neildelamere.com or call the box office on Tel 07491 20777.