Ed Byrne’s Tragedy Plus Time: Irish funnyman talks tragicomedy, hiking, and why he likes Kiwi audiences

Irish funnyman Ed Byrne returns to New Zealand shores this month.

From getting a cat to getting married, Irish funnyman Ed Byrne isn’t shy about telling you whatever’s going on in his life during his stand-up sets.

But the observational comics’ latest award-winning show, Tragedy Plus Time, has surprised and moved audiences worldwide. A large part of the routine discusses his brother’s death and mines the most tragic event in his life for laughs.

Mitchell Hageman catches up with Byrne ahead of his Hawke’s Bay appearance as part of the Laugh Your A** Off comedy festival to talk Kiwi audiences, Hawke’s Bay hikes and finding the laughs in tragedy.

Ed Byrne “couldn’t give a monkey’s” about the hype of the Uefa European Football Championship that swept his country of residence.

No one could blame him, considering it led to what could be regarded as a comedian’s worst nightmare.

“It was actually a bit of a pain because I was doing a show at Soho theatre in London yesterday, and it was not well attended, put it that way, because football absolutely kills comedy,” Byrne told Hawke’s Bay Today via phone this month.

“There were definitely people in the show looking at their phones and keeping an eye on the score.”

While the Irishman said many of his friends were English and he had wished the team success, he was “generally unmoved” by the hype.

But the class act sure hasn’t left his audiences unmoved in recent months.

His latest show, Tragedy Plus Time, which reaches Kiwi shores this month, has been described as hilarious, extremely dark, profoundly touching, and resolutely unsentimental.

“I think it’s something people are doing more and more these days. It’s something that audiences are coming to expect, but they aren’t really expecting it from me,” Byrne said.

“I’ve been doing this a long time, and I’ve never really had a show that has ‘sad bits’ in it.”

A big chunk of the show is dedicated to his late brother and TV producer Paul, who died in 2022 after a short illness.

“It’s all I’ve been sort of thinking about, so that’s what’s going to end up generating comedy,” Byrne professed.

With so much personal grief attached to the show, one could think expressing such emotion might be quite cathartic.

“I get often asked [if it is cathartic],” Byrne said.

“I would say I’m enjoying the fact that I think it’s keeping his memory alive to a certain extent. I’ve had a couple of people who knew him come up to me after the show saying it was like spending another hour in his company, which is beautiful.”

He thinks his brother would “definitely be proud” of the show.

“There’s one bit in particular where I recount an argument we had and recount it in a way that’s far fairer to him than I probably would’ve been at the time or that I probably would have been to him had he not died,” Byrne said.

“I think he would probably be quite pleased with how self-effacing and self-critical I’ve been about my role in that argument, but you have to do that because otherwise, it wouldn’t be particularly funny.”

It’s ending the show that would have the most impact on him, Byrne said.

“When I stop doing it, I think it will be another goodbye, so I’m kind of not looking forward to that. If anything, it’s probably slightly unhealthy getting on stage and raking over this event five or six times a week.”

Being no stranger to Aotearoa’s shores, Byrne said he was looking forward to coming back to Kiwi audiences as they “don’t really heckle very much”.

“I’m not massive on audience interaction, and I don’t think Kiwi audiences are big on it either.

“There also a sense when you come from the UK that there’s an appreciation for making the trip.”

He’s also not “tacking NZ” on to the end of an Australian tour and is coming directly here to perform.

Hawke’s Bay’s Toitoi Opera House is a stop on the tour, but there’s hope the Hastings crowd will provide a better turnout than rival sibling Napier, where “only about 80 people” showed up to one of Byrne’s previous gigs.

“I used to play Napier, but it never sold well there. It’s a beautiful Art Deco city and has a lovely theatre.”

A great couple of days of hiking in the Kaweka Range staying in DoC huts was one highlight of Byrne’s previous trips, and the keen outdoorsman hopes to slip one quick hike in despite his packed schedule.

The Hawke’s Bay Today newsroom suggested a quick hike up Te Mata Peak.

“I might get one done, but the gigging is pretty constant. I’ll bear [Te Mata Peak] in mind.”

And what was his main message before touching down in New Zealand? Don’t be put off by the subject matter of Tragedy Plus Time, as those who come are in for a right hoot.

“The main thing would be that even though it seems like a downer subject, the show is genuinely funny and has a lot of jokes.”

Ed Byrne is touring Aotearoa this month, with a stop in Hastings as part of the Laugh Your A** Off comedy festival on July 27. Tickets are available from eventfinda or at the Hastings iSite.

Mitchell Hageman joined Hawke’s Bay Today in January 2023. From his Napier base, he writes regularly on social issues, arts and culture, and the community. He has a particular love for stories about ordinary people doing extraordinary things.