Under the Influence

Tommy Tiernan paces the floor of a cramped London club like a man who has either just escaped an asylum or is about to start one, declaring early on that the evening is not a platform for sincerity but a “theatre of devilment.” He delivers a sermon that is equal parts cosmic nonsense and pitch-black social planning. This is Tiernan at his most physical, contorting his body to impersonate a crazed crow, mocking the absurdity of swearing a court oath on the Bible, and offering chaotic solutions to modern crises. His fix for the overburdened health service? Accept that humans live too long and adopt the motto, “We’re not supposed to live forever.”

Filmed at the intimate Water Rats venue in London, this 2018 release marked the first time the Irish comedian recorded a special outside of Ireland. The small rock-and-roll club environment suits Tiernan’s intense, sweat-soaked delivery. At this point in his career, he was experiencing a massive television resurgence, playing the long-suffering Da Gerry in Derry Girls and hosting his acclaimed, unscripted RTÉ chat show. Yet this release serves as a reminder of his roots in pure stand-up.

He pushes into touchy subjects with the confidence of a man who knows how to make the familiar completely absurd. He suggests solving Irish-UK border issues by annexing Scotland on a bank holiday while they are too hungover to notice, and explains that while Irish people remain deeply repressed about sex, “it’s sex worth being repressed for.” He even suggests legalizing abortion up to the age of eighteen, mostly so parents can finally kick lazy teenagers out of the house.