Al Porter announces Mayo dates for new stand-up show

Award-winning comedian Al Porter has announced dates for his much-anticipated new stand-up show, entitled ALGORITHM.

The tour, which begins at the end of August in Naas and finishes in February 2026 in Offaly, is coming to Mayo venues Westport Town Hall Theatre on October 10 and Ballina Arts Centre on November 21.

ALGORITHM delivers a candid, energetic and fun-loving look at everyday life for the 32-year-old Tallaght man, from asking such pertinent questions as “How do you cope with your parents' empty nest syndrome?” to “How in god’s name do you godparent a German?”

Al is one of the few Irish comics to have been nominated for a Perrier Award (like Tommy Tiernan and Dylan Moran before him), and in 2023 in Edinburgh he picked up the Spirit of the Fringe Award from Fringe legend Mervyn Stutter.

“This show came about because the algorithms on my social media were consistently nudging me and my partner to get assessed!” said Al. “And it got me thinking – how are algorithms shaping our life? Most of us encounter them every day on social media. It’s become a buzz word and everybody’s got a pretty good idea of how they work.

“Maybe this can also give us a deeper understanding of ourselves. What do I engage with in my own 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? Sounds serious, but that’s the point – it doesn’t have to be! Just like our feed, in life, we see more of what we pay attention to, so maybe we can be looking for the funny side.”

This follows up Al’s comeback tour in 2023/4, which was a show about recovery, redemption and a lot more besides.

ALGORITHM is Al at his very best – a showman that puts funny first with rapid-fire laughs and punchy, sharp, self-deprecating comedy.

As well as the Westport and Ballina dates, Al will be performing in Roscommon Arts Centre on October 3, Galway Town Hall Theatre on October 24, and The Hawkswell, Sligo, on November 15.