Popular TV comedian Ed Byrne is set to perform his ‘Tragedy Plus Time’ show at the Gaiety Theatre in September.

The show tests the theory of humour being ‘Tragedy Plus Time’, a quote attributed to American author Mark Twain. Ed attempts to test that formula by mining the most tragic event in his life for laughs.

Initially performing it at Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2023, the widespread critical acclaim has led Ed to display his show at a number of different venues in locations such as the Lake District, Liverpool, Glasgow, Cardiff, Edinburgh and London.

With his TV career now in its third decade, Ed has regularly appeared on the likes of QI, Mock The Week, Alan Davies As Yet Untitled, The Pilgrimage, Dara and Ed’s Road to Mandalay, Dara and Ed’s Big Adventure, The Graham Norton Show and Have I Got News For You.

A spokesperson involved with the show said: ‘For all his dalliances with the world of television light entertainment, Ed remains at heart one of the world’s truly great stand-up comedians.

‘He has honed his craft for a remarkable 30 years now, garnering a hatful of awards and a constant, borderline bewildering stream of five-star reviews along the way.

‘Whisper it, but it’s tempting in 2023 to take story-telling skills and a wit as sublime as Ed’s for granted.

‘However, while he prepares to take his 14th show Tragedy Plus Time for a comprehensive UK tour, audiences need to ready themselves because Ed Byrne is heading into highly emotional new territory.’

Talking about this new emotional aspect, Ed said: ‘It’s something of a departure, and I’m slightly worried about that. I’ve never really had the desire to write a show that had an overly serious element to it.

‘I got a lot of five-star reviews on the last show [2019’s If I’m Honest], but some four-star ones that opined, “well it’s funny, but that’s all it is…”

‘As if that’s not enough these days. Frankly, just being funny is a furrow I’ve been happy to occupy. But this new show features some heart-wrenching, soul-bearing stuff.’

In Tragedy Plus Time, Ed ventures into the world of grief and loss, a decision prompted by the passing of his younger brother Paul, aged just 44, in February 2022.

He added: ‘I was in two minds about whether to do a show of this nature. Then I decided this was the subject I was going to tackle but I wasn’t quite sure how to go about it.

‘But once I started down that road, that was it. Then my main worry was, how funny is it going to be and is it going to work?’

Based on the positive reviews, the comedy certainly does work.

Tragedy Plus Time at the Gaiety Theatre will take place on Friday, September 6 at 7.30pm.

The show is suitable for those aged 14 and over, while under-16s must be accompanied by an adult.

Tickets are priced at £28.50. If you wish to purchase a ticket, you can visit www.villagaiety.com/whats-on/ed-byrne-tragedy-plus-time/