A rare chance to see this comic genius, at the home of where
it began.
ARDAL O'HANLON
Multi-award winning comedian and actor, Ardal O'Hanlon,
is one of the most acclaimed artists to break through the
comedy industry in recent years.
LIVE
A spellbinding fusion of off beat stories and confident
polished material combine to make Ardal O'Hanlon's stand
up act, a hilarious journey touched with life enhancing
observations and unexpected twists. His sheer originality
and talent ensure that there is no other performer like
him.
A previous winner of no less than three 'Best Comedian'
awards, along with a major British Comedy Award; Ardal has
travelled extensively as a live performer, completing successful
tours of Australia, New Zealand, Holland, Belgium, Montreux
(television festival) and twice at the acclaimed Montreal
Comedy Festival (Juste Pour Rire). Ardal performed a sell-out
run at the Irish arts Centre in New York Jan 2000, and returned
to New York in March 2001 for an extended run and a special
solo TV recording for USA cable company, Comedy Central.
In addition, he has enjoyed three massive sell out tours
of the UK and Ireland and has released a live video, produced
by Working Title Films for a special full-length video ('Ardal
O'Hanlon Live'); released via PolyGram/Universal video.
The show has since been broadcast on Channel 4 prime time
television.
ACTING/ BROADCAST
Ardal has an extensive list of both acting and comedy television
credits to his name, and demand from the TV Networks is
such, that he is currently developing his own solo television
projects.
Ardal has starred as the title role in the USA short feature,
'Another Bobby O'Hara Story' - which filmed on location
in LA/Hollywood and was considered for the 2002 Oscars.
Ardal also starred (as the lead, 'Eamon') in the ITV drama-comedy
series 'Big Bad World (2 series) and stars in the twin lead
roles (of 'George Sunday/ThermoMan') for the BBC 1 comedy
series 'My Hero (5 series). Ardal also provides the voice
of 'Robbie' for the Comic Relief animation films, Robbie
the Reindeer.
Ardal co-starred in Neil Jordan's feature film 'The Butcher
Boy', and in the lead role of 'Johnny Eddy' in the award
winning short film 'Flying Saucer Rock 'n Roll'. He also
previously hosted three series' of the BBC1 series 'The
Stand Up Show'. It was, however, his consummate starring
role in 3 series of Channel 4's BAFTA winning series 'Father
Ted', which initially propelled Ardal in to public attention;
his hilarious portrayal of 'Father Dougal McGuire' gaining
such reviews as:
'The true star of the show is Ardal O'Hanlon, the acclaimed
stand up whose comedy innocence and natural born acting
ability is well worthy of the genius of James Stewart' (The
Independent Newspaper) It is this performance which won
Ardal the 'Top Television Comedy Newcomer' award at the
'95 British Comedy Awards and earned him nominations for
the 1996 Awards in the 'Best Actor' and 'Top Television
Personality' categories, and 'Best Actor' at the 1997, 1998
and 1999 Awards, along with 'Best Comedy Actor' at the 1999
BAFTA awards.
In a new venture, Ardal is currently starring in the West
End production of 'See You Next Tuesday' at the Albery Theatre,
in the lead role of Francois following the successful run
at the Gate Theatre in Dublin last year.
WRITING
As an innovative writer, who has written for publications
as diverse as The Independent, and Total Sport Magazine,
Ardal secured a major publishing deal with Sceptre (the
contemporary fiction arm of Hodder & Stoughton) in 1998.
His first novel, 'The Talk of the Town', made it to the
Best Seller lists for a year. The rights have recently been
sold to the US (where the book has been renamed 'Knick Knack
Paddy Wack', published by Henry Holt) and reprised the UK
success. Ardal is currently writing his second novel for
Sceptre.
"Eschewing any sort of flashy showmanship or high-tech
trickery, one man and a microphone held a packed Manchester
Apollo spellbound and rocking with laughter. There's a powerful
intelligence at work and crucially as well as being very,
very funny, he's also terrifically likeable, recounting
tall tales for all the world as if he was chatting to you
in a bar. It's a combination that seems likely to make Ardal
O'Hanlon one of the most popular live stand ups in the country
THE MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS
"O'Hanlon's timing and technique are outstanding in
an age when such things do not seem to matter as much as
they should. An inspirational performer poised on the brink
of greatness. The one thing that really matters about Ardal
O'Hanlon is that in a world already overpopulated by comedians,
he really makes a difference. See him - if you can find
a ticket"
THE STAGE
"Ardal O'Hanlon appearing as 'himself' will be a revelation.
If you've only seen him in his television role as wide-eyed
eejit 'Father Dougal' don't miss his stand up performance.
Watch him turn innocence into a deadly comic weapon"
THE SUNDAY TIMES
"Displays a proficiency of delivery which puts him
well a head of the pack. He is a complete joy to watch,
planting the sort of silly images that bump around in your
head forever." THE GUARDIAN
"..Skilfully handled running jokes, his manipulation
of a capacity crowd is just as impressive..sharp and genial
observation . O'Hanlon is certainly a comedian to be reckoned
with" THE DAILY TELEGRAPH
"An hour of well-structured observational comedy,
planting verbal mines which later detonate in glorious pay-offs.
Funnier than one could imagine possible. Stardom surely
beckons to Ardal O'Hanlon on a second count"
THE SCOTSMAN
"His performance leaps between devilishly-delivered
non-sequiteurs, but keeps a common thread of outstanding
observation too. If you love comedy and smart talking -
and only go to see one comedy show, make it O'Hanlon"
THE DAILY EXPRESS
ARDAL O'HANLON
SEE YOU NEXT TUESDAY
WHAT THE CRITICS HAVE SAID
"For the belly laughs it is Father Ted's Ardal O'Hanlon,
showcasing his unrivalled skill at playing village idiots
who shines."
THE MIRROR
"Enter the wonderful Ardal O'Hanlon in an ill-fitting
suit, a portfolio of his scale models at the ready…O'Hanlon
as the chosen victim is a total joy. He's wonderful as the
sacrificial lamb, a performance of radiant sweetness that
gets our sympathy without begging for it."
DAILY EXPRESS
"It has its amusing moments thanks to the miraculous
comic timing of Ardal O'Hanlon"
THE MAIL ON SUNDAY
"Ardal O'Hanlon…makes a thoroughly decent and
engaging theatrical debut."
THE SUNDAY EXPRESS
"Ardal O'Hanlon is ideal as the useless Pignon, not
quite matching Father Dougal's plankton levels of gormlessness,
but exuding an irritating dimness from under his shiny,
crumpled suit, his comic tics as recognisable as those of
Frankie Howerd or Sid James."
THE SUNDAY TIMES CULTURE
"Ardal O'Hanlon plays Francois, and he is a delight.
A natural comic gift suffuses his goofiness, his anxieties,
his eagerness to please. For a moment, when he realises
that he has been set up as an idiot, he even achieves an
unexpected dignity."
THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH
"That the laughter comes louder and more often…is
thanks, for the most part, to the endearingly hapless presence
of Ardal O'Hanlon"
THE INDEPENDENT
