Gag of the Week

Dylan Moran, Grand Opera House, York, Sunday

IRISH wit Dylan Moran brings his Dr Cosmos show to York on Sunday, the day after his 47th birthday.

Always alert to the comedic or philosophical possibilities all around him, Moran will be reflecting on love, politics, misery and the everyday absurdities of life.

"I have high hopes for this show, I’m really into it. And I’m really into what an incredible time it is to be doing comedy. I want people to come in and have a great time and go home feeling better," says Moran. "I’m not going to ask people to understand anything too complicated or anything that I feel can’t be understood. A lot of it is about pulling the squirrels out of the bag and giving them a name or a number. Let’s just say that I’m organising the squirrels."

Add consumerism and mental health to the mix and "a lot of Dr Cosmos is about people just trying to cope," says Moran. "The big things still apply: family is still there and the root systems don’t change, it’s just the way we’re living has."

Storytelling will be at the heart of Moran's show. "I think people are desperate for it; we really need it. And we need to be around the fire and hear it. We’re confused about what’s happening to us now, and that’s why you get Brexit and you get Trump and you get all this polarisation," he says.

Tickets for Sunday's 8pm show are on sale on 0844 871 3024 or at atgtickets.com/york.