Al Porter’s Athlone concert to support basketball club

Comedian Al Porter is coming to Athlone this weekend with his new stand-up show, Algorithm, which will bring big laughs, and a touch of local goodwill.

Coming to the Dean Crowe Theatre this Saturday, October 18, the show is described as “a candid, energetic and fun-loving look at everyday life for the 32-year-old Tallaght man”, where Al explores modern living with his trademark wit and warmth.

Alongside the laughter, the night will also have a strong local community focus.

As part of every show, Al chooses a local club or charity to support, and for the Athlone date he has picked Athlone Basketball Club.

The club will hold a raffle and collection on the night, and Al will be selling his popular “Al’s Teddies”, with all proceeds going directly to support the basketball club’s activities and youth programmes.

As for the show itself, expect reflections on everything from coping with your parents’ empty nest syndrome to the challenges of godparenting abroad, or as he puts it, “how in God’s name do you godparent a German?”

Al Porter, one of Ireland’s few comedians ever nominated for the prestigious Perrier Award, joined the ranks of Tommy Tiernan and Dylan Moran in that honour. In 2023, he also received the Spirit of the Fringe Award at the Edinburgh Festival from legendary reviewer Mervyn Stutter.

Speaking about the inspiration behind Algorithm, Al said:“This show came about because the algorithms on my social media were consistently nudging me and my partner to get assessed!

"And it got me thinking: how are algorithms shaping our life?

They’re a mirror to our highs, lows, loves and hates. So, can we crack a formula for happy living in a complicated world?

It sounds serious, but that’s the point, it doesn’t have to be!”