O'Doherty

One of a long line of sophisticated female Aussie comics to fetch up on these shores check out ultra-experimental Claudia O'Doherty and upbeat storyteller Celia Pacquola, Sarah Kendall's been a fixture on the UK scene for some years now.

This week's new comedy 2011

But there's also a grand tradition of quieter, more eccentric comedy from Ireland over the years, practised by acts such as surrealistic oddball Kevin McAleer, deadpan genius Michael Redmond, and the incredible David O'Doherty.

This week's new comedy 2011

Raised in Northern Ireland, O'Doherty has literally spent his life entrenched in the most baffling and intractable political and ethnic battles around the world, and played a significant role in brokering peace in Bosnia and Croatia.

Morgan Pehme: Strip Politics: A Cure for Incivility Morgan Pehme 2011

Raising the hotel tax from 7.5% is an option being discussed, says Ryan O'Doherty, a spokesman for the mayor.

Taxes on hotel rooms are rising 2010

But there's also a grand tradition of quieter, more eccentric comedy from Ireland over the years, practised by acts such as surrealistic oddball Kevin McAleer, deadpan genius Michael Redmond, and the incredible David O'Doherty.

This week's new comedy 2011

Asked how two parties who have hated each other for generations can even begin to resolve their differences, O'Doherty explained that the fundamental concession both sides had to make was to acknowledge that their enemies were human beings too.

Morgan Pehme: Strip Politics: A Cure for Incivility Morgan Pehme 2011

Raised in Northern Ireland, O'Doherty has literally spent his life entrenched in the most baffling and intractable political and ethnic battles around the world, and played a significant role in brokering peace in Bosnia and Croatia.

Morgan Pehme: Strip Politics: A Cure for Incivility Morgan Pehme 2011

He's joined at the Theatre Royal by the worryingly pallid but effective Andrew Lawrence and the musical David O'Doherty, whose targets include YouTube comments and dumbstruck fans of The Wire.

The weekend's TV highlights Martin Skegg 2010

Asked how two parties who have hated each other for generations can even begin to resolve their differences, O'Doherty explained that the fundamental concession both sides had to make was to acknowledge that their enemies were human beings too.

Morgan Pehme: Strip Politics: A Cure for Incivility Morgan Pehme 2011

He comes across like a quiet, introverted version of Irish keyboard wizard David O'Doherty, but there are flashes of Demetri Martin, too.

This week's new live comedy 2011