ACTOR / comedian / podcaster Tom O’Mahony is in buoyant form. His beloved County Tipperary Hurlers are All Ireland champions and he is embarking on an extensive theatre tour with ‘Defending the Caveman’. The tour finishes just in time for him to join the cast of UCH’s panto ‘Aladdin’ in December.
‘Defending the Caveman’, written by Rob Becker, is the longest running one-man show in Broadway history. The show won an Oliver Award for ‘Best Entertainment’ in 2000 and it has sold over 8 million tickets in 45 countries and has been translated into over 18 languages.
The one man show is part theatre and part stand up. It examines the battle of the sexes – the stereotypical and yet, undisputedly true differences between men and women.
Why do men greet each other with insults? Why does it take women so long to get ready? Why can’t men talk about their feelings… And why does it seem that women can’t stop?
“‘Defending the Caveman’ has become a peacemaker and a celebration of the differences between the sexes,” says the advertisement blurb.
But will this US based comedy translate well for an Irish audience on its tour here?
Tom O’Mahony says he and the producers have been given some leeway with the script.
“The producers have upgraded it but they sent it to us and they gave me basically artistic licence to go at it.”
“Some stuff just needed to be changed, I wanted to move it along, sharpen it up a bit.
“Irish audiences ask a bit more.
“They want to work a little bit.
“They get comedy really quickly so the comedy has to be razor sharp.”
The show has been road tested to small audiences.
Tom brings his energy and persona to the piece to take the audience on a comedic journey. It is set to bring the house down at every performance.
“I’m fairly confident in it. The producer has done a ton of these plays. This play is suitable for stand up because it is delivered in a stand up way. The more and more I’m doing it I’m finding that it is 100 per cent on point.” Tom also runs the comedy club in University Concert Hall and, good news, it will be making a return to regular programming in 2020.
The comedian also has a well loved podcast, called Buckshot producing two podcasts weekly. He interviews comedians and sports people and anyone he can have a banter with. He also records a ‘Ramble Pod’ which is Tom ranting and riffing on whatever is on his mind that week.
And Tom loves the freedom to ramble that a podcast allows.
“I do a fair bit of radio stuff. You know the constraints.But when you get chatting on a podcast, I am not guided by anybody and you can see guests loosen up straight away. Once the shackles come off and they are in their own environment you can tell the guests are having a good time.”
Tom believes that the one to one conversation has to be in person to make an authentic connection.
“I have made it a policy to be in the room with the person to have a right natter with them. They might be new to podcasting and go into themselves a bit so you have to be there and sharing a coffee with them. It becomes better craic.
“You want to be in room just to put them at ease.”
The original tagline for the US run of ‘Defending the Caveman’ was “Drag him to a show he’ll actually enjoy.”
Tom won’t be using it. It is probably outdated today and theatre is not seen here as an exclusively female preserve.
“I’m not using that tagline – I’m not banging that drum. Maybe once upon a time it was the women who went to a theatre shows. I see gangs of lads coming to shows if it’s in their ballpark. I see it with the podcast. I’ll get messages from listeners and its mostly 70 per cent guys coming to the show.”
“We’ve taken the men vs women thing in this play – and we just made it straight up funny.”
‘Defending the Caveman’ plays at University Concert Hall on Thursday October 24.
