Dave Allen at Peace

A comedy genius with an incredible story ruined by a simplistic telling. Performances by Aidan Gillan, Ely Solan, Ferdia Walsh-Peelo and Senan Jennings were great but also ruined by the flashbacks and flash forwards. A great story ruined by the production

I watched this hour-long potted dramatisation of the life and times of Irish comedian Dave Allen immediately after viewing a real-life TV biography of the man which probably wasn't the best preparation. I was a big fan of Allen's TV series of the early 70's particularly "Dave Allen At Large" using a format of sketches (some of which today might seem un-P.C.) and stand-up or should that be sit-down comedy. Allen regularly sent-up his native country's Catholic religion, often provoking the ire of his countrymen, to the extent where he even received death threats for lampooning the Pope, most (in)famously in a sketch where the holy father disrobes to "The Stripper" by David Rose.

As much a blarney-spinner as a pure joke-teller, Allen's laconic style, drink within reach on the one hand, cigarette in the other, saw him stand out from the older-fashioned variety-show type comics of the same era, like "Morecambe and Wise" or "The Two Ronnies", in short, he had an edge, even once swearing on air to enhance a joke's punchline.

The narrative here concentrates on Allen's relationship with his free-spirited, newspaper editor father who died when he was only 12 and his older brother whose later life revolves around alcohol dependancy. However, given that his mother outlived his father and he himself was married twice, it's strange that the show makes almost no reference to the women in his life.

It also wasn't helped by lightweight lead actor Aiden Gillan's marked dissimilarity to the real Allen as well as his complete inability to get even close to Allen's distinctive accent. There were actually scenes with more than one character present where I couldn't pick him out as Allen.

The jump-starting narrative sidelined into well-known Allen sketches and monologues but none were delivered as crisply as in the original TV show. In the end, it seemed, certainly from the real life bio, that Dave Allen had a full and rewarding life. Unlike other comedic talents he seemed less driven by demons which probably helped constrain this over-respectful yet still misfiring telling of his story.

Oh and I still can't work out the relevance of the show's title unless I'm missing something.

Dave Allen will forever be one of the funniest men to grace a stage, a true comic genius, perhaps a little before his time.

This dramatisation helped to give a little back story, perhaps explain the motivation in some of his humour, and provide plenty of laughs with the sketches. Very well acted, Aiden Gillen was genuinely superb as the legendary comic, doing great justice.

At times it was a little disjointed, and didn't perhaps flow as has been the usual with these biopic dramas, when you think of ones for Frankie Howerd, Hattie Jacques and Barbara Windsor, each had a beginning, middle and end, this one was a little clunky in terms of flow. It didn't seem to matter though as it was interesting and funny, like the great man himself.

Whimsical rather then informative. A fun watch.

I was a fan of Dave Allen's comedy. In the late 1980s when he did his stand up series for the BBC, he showed the up and coming generation of comics that he could still produce the goods.

Dave Allen was 'alternative' before the phrase was even coined. His target was the Catholic church. Just imagine if he was alive today what he would have made of the revelations of the church's misdeeds in Ireland over the past decades.

Well this drama reflected it on it. Young Dave being whacked by the nuns. It seems Dave had a comfortable lifestyle (bar going to a church school) in Ireland thanks to his father who worked in newspapers but then he died.

Dave with the help of his older brother got into comedy in Butlins. While his older brother became an alcoholic, Dave hit it big on the BBC.

Yet this was a curious drama, it recreated some sketches, you saw a bit of his stand up or should it be sit down comedy.

You see a reflection of his childhood and a tender moment between the adult Dave and his brother as he once again tries to recover from his alcoholism.

I still walked away knowing very little about Dave Allen. Apart from why he picked on Catholicism, we never even find out how he lost his finger!

The first reviewer has not one clue. This was a brilliant tribute to the wonderful man with a top cast