Brisbane Powerhouse March 9

After years of dragging audience members on stage as part of his act, Jason Byrne has finally admitted to himself, or us at least, that he really is the puppet master, and we’re the puppets every time. For this year’s show, as the People’s Puppeteer, Byrne explodes onto the stage with his usual high energy and quick wit that demands and thrives on audience participation, pulling unsuspecting victims into the act. This is not a show you want to turn up late to; you will be mocked, you will be punished, yet somehow you’ll still find it funny.

There are so many Irish comedians peddling drinking themed humour, but Byrne’s ad-lib and audience participation — that never misses a beat — has become his own unique style; there’s little structure to the show, it’s so reactive it couldn't be staged without an audience. It would be worth seeing every show of his tour for the simple fact that no two shows could possibly be the same: the hilarity of the “hairbrush lady” has come and gone, and the puppeteer is off to his next town with thanks to Brisbane and the request that “somebody takes the woman down from the curtains in the Powerhouse please”.