简介：Nomusicreviewerwouldmakeacareerwritingaboutpianistssolelyfromrepeatedperformancesofasingleconcerto,noranypianistoutofplayingjusttheonepiece.Yetsometimeswritingaboutstand-upcomedianscanfeelworryinglylikethis.Theyallhitmoreorlessthesamenotes:London...youngpeople...childrenandparenthood...today'sdreadfulmusic...religion...growingupinIreland(obviouslynoteverycomicincludesthismovement,thoughsometimesitfeelslikeit)...finishingoffwithdifferencesbetweenmenandwomen,usuallywithreferencetonaughtybitsand/ornaughtybusiness.Thedifferenceliesinthephrasing,theflourishes,theindividualexpressionbroughttotheworkbytheperformer. DylanMoran,appearingforsevennightsattheWestEnd'sPalaceTheatrewhileitspendsthesummerbetweenblockbustermusicals,playsthestandardconcerto.It'sinthephrasingthathisskillresides.Hisslurred,bellowingdeliveryandshambling,half-cutpersona(althoughinalmosttwohoursheputawayperhapsathirdofaglassofwhitewine)arenolongerasnovelastheyoncewere,buttheybelieagreaterthanaveragedisciplineinhismaterial. Morancertainlyhasagiftforthesurrealimageandtheunexpectedadjective,buthisspontaneousflightsoffancyarebriefandalittlediffident.Hepreferstohonehisphrasesandseemstoscriptthemquitetightly;likeasnookerplayer,hecancontrolexactlytheangleatwhichtheballwillcomeoffthebackcushion.Attimeshesimplysoundslikeanearly-middle-agedgrouch,beratingyoungpeoplefor"textingeachotherbecausethey'vegivenuponspeech",butwhenhestretchesoutandletsflywithhismagnificentvocabulary,he'sinadifferentleague.Hecanuseanear-nonsensewordlike"quadrangulate"meaningfully,orwonderaboutAnnWiddecombe'svoice,"Howdoyougetthatmanyfingernailsononeblackboard?"Sometimestheword-imagesworkthroughbizarreness,sometimesthey'resimplytheretoaddcolouroremphasisinunexpectedways:agrannymentionedinpassingissomuchlessprosaicwhenshe'sanemphysemicgranny.Andthemerephrase"fellatingaSmurf"isaseuphoniousastheimageitevokesisdisconcerting. Moran'sgrowingfilmandTVcareerarevyingwithhisliveworkforsupremacynow,andindeedhe'sslightlylessappealingaperformeronstagethanonemightexpect.Butthewords,oh,thewords...! WrittenfortheFinancialTimes.…