Any fan of British and Irish standup will be remiss if they've never seen Byrne live, and he's in top form in the Australian tour of his highly regarded show, Tragedy Plus Time. With a quick change of venue from Gluttony, a much-welcomed upgrade to the Hindley Street Music Hall allows ample space for Byrne to do what he does best without any noisy interference. With a hilarious accompanying set from Mick Ferry to serve before intermission, the laughs come thick and fast and the audience is given a full taste of Byrne’s trademark whimsical high energy (just don't dare call him “spritely"). Whether he's dissecting cultural and generational stereotypes or tearing into petty grievances that attract his ire, there's rarely a moment where Byrne didn't have his Adelaide crowd in stitches. After forty minutes of fantastic buildup, Byrne introduces us to the central thesis of his show, that comedy can be described as “tragedy plus time”. This is explored through his own tragic loss: the death of his brother Paul, a fellow comedy professional in his own right. Now with a few years of hindsight behind him, Byrne explores the idea of whether time can indeed make a personal loss grounds for comedy, along with the contrary ways death can allow estranged family members to make amends. Recounting inappropriate choices of music during Paul’s cremation, dissecting the “Irish Goodbye” and playfully riffing on his brother's poor health decisions leading up to his failing liver diagnosis, the jokes land with considerable force and are achingly funny despite originating from Byrne's own painful memories. Byrne’s command of the stage and his audience is second to none, sacrificing none of his showmanship whilst remaining openly vulnerable. He has an unnatural talent for turning the macabre and the uncomfortable into raucous laughter. Keeping things firmly relatable and grounded, there's just the right level of sentimentality to compliment his terrifically dark sense of humour. Byrne isn't content to just use his personal struggles as a cheap means to garner pity. Instead, he uses his experience as a means to explore the complexities of family dynamics and how his own grievances led to painful regret. He meditates on his own pride and stubbornness as foils to repairing his relationship with his brother. This leads to his realization, albeit later than he had wished, that allowing such resentment to push a loved one away robbed him of the opportunity to spend more time with Paul before his passing. It's a parable many will find relatable, and a reminder to lead with an open heart instead of a closed mind. Tragedy Plus Time is a touching, witty and darkly funny exploration of grief and loss that refuses to wallow in sadness, choosing instead to celebrate the love between two siblings that don't always see eye to eye, yet still reconcile their differences in the face of death. FIVE STARS *****