Resplendent in his green Adidas tracksuit bottoms and plain black t-shirt with the C-word emblazoned across the chest, Ciaran Bartlett took to the stage for his first show at Belfast’s Grand Opera House last night. The black curtain behind him is pin pointed with stars and dry ice atmospherically spills out across the crowd (he later quips that he asked his production team to make it look like a Victorian brothel mixed with the set of Stars In Their Eyes, and he’s pretty much hit the nail on the head). With guitar in hand, the show starts with Ciaran belting out a filthily funny version of Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s Music of the Night and over the next two hours we are treated to songs, stories and even some guest appearances from his wife Chloe and musical maestro Johnny for good measure.
The second half of the show starts with Ciaran taking suggestions from the audience out of a cup and trying to riff off them to improvise some comedy songs – these have so much potential but are usually cut short before the laughs can really arrive. Maybe there are a few nerves at play tonight, or maybe he’s just quitting while he’s ahead to keep the audience wanting more.
Bartlett can definitely play the guitar skilfully and he doesn’t have a bad singing voice at all, something he later tells us he has honed over years of playing at bars across the city after he “invented live music in Belfast”. The musical portions of the evening are varied and have the audience cackling in their seats – some have surprisingly high production values, with a Billie Eilish parody and lesson in Irish trad music going all out with effects, while others are just a few funny lines making a musical punchline.
Usually found bouncing off co-hosts and guests on podcasts and Tik Toks, Ciaran only has the audience to spar with, and with it being a Monday night, the crowd is remarkably well-behaved making his back and forth patter a bit frustrating as the audience isn’t giving much away. “You’re such a Monday crowd!” he playfully tells us, and it’s clear that he’s still figuring out what material works and what doesn’t. By the time the Friday and Saturday night crowds get in, I’d say this show would be much more punchy and slick than what we’re being treated to. Nevertheless the audience can’t get enough of Ciaran’s acerbic comedy, especially when it’s being directed at them.
Running until Saturday 28th September, to find out more information or to book tickets to Ciaran Bartlett: Phantom of the Opera House click here.
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