The Irish Perspective: David Nihill Brings True Stories (and Proof) to Hilarities

When David Nihill steps onto the stage at Hilarities 4th Street Theatre this Sunday, February 15, he does so as a man still trying to decode the enigma of American life. An Irishman abroad, Nihill has spent years navigating the quirks of his adopted home, though he admits the learning curve remains steep.

This Sunday marks Nihill’s fourth performance in Cleveland and his third time returning to the Hilarities stage. While his most recent stop in the 216 was a grand affair at Playhouse Square, there is a specific gravitational pull that brings him back to the basement of East 4th Street.

“They kind of make you feel like Elvis there and treat you extremely well,” Nihill says of the Hilarities staff. “It’s a good room for comedy. I just think about how they treat people, how nice they are, and how unique the space is. It’s almost like a little theater hidden underground that performs like a comedy club. I think everybody is pretty emotionally attached to that particular location in the world of comedy.”

Nihill isn’t alone in that sentiment. Hilarities is widely considered one of the most revered comedy institutions in the country, often cited by touring pros as their absolute favorite room to play due to its attentive crowds and “hallowed ground” atmosphere.

Life as a Writing Desk

Unlike many comics who spend hours agonizing over a legal pad, Nihill’s process is more organic—and perhaps more adventurous.

“To be honest, I don’t write material ever,” he explains. “I just kind of read a lot and I travel a lot and I have thoughts or stories or wanky things that have happened to me along the way. I attract a crowd of people that I want to talk to.”

He credits social media for helping him find a “smart crowd” that appreciates nuance. “A joke or an observation that might not have worked for every crowd back in the days might work now. You don’t want to be explaining the joke, because comedy is always the biggest impact in the shortest form of words.”

Nihill’s comedy is deeply rooted in wherever his feet are planted. During his previous visits, he’s riffed on everything from the Free Stamp to the Cuyahoga River’s flammable history. On this trip, his eyes are on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

“I went to the Rock and Roll museum and you’re just looking at U2 and Van Morrison and Sinead O’Connor and all the Irish people being honored there,” he says. (It was at this point in the conversation that this interviewer learned—much to David’s amusement—that the legendary Van Morrison is, in fact, Irish). “It’s kind of cool. I’m sure they have a few more coming. The Cranberries are certainly overdue an addition in there and, maybe even Thin Lizzy and the Pogues, just to mention a few.”

“I Have Evidence”

The most striking thing about a David Nihill set isn’t just the delivery; it’s the fact that it all actually happened. In a culture of “creative license,” Nihill found that American audiences were often too cynical to believe his life was actually that weird.

“I got to the point that I realized in America that these people just weren’t believing what I was telling them,” he says. “I started telling stories about my family and they were like, ‘There’s no way that happened.’”

To combat the skepticism, Nihill began ending his shows with a slideshow. “I ended up putting the photos in the end of all my shows for the last two or three years. I realized I’m going to have to put in photos or they’re going to think I’m nuts. If I’m telling them stories about me fishing for great white sharks or something bonkers about my mother, that’s the thing that happened and I have evidence to back it up. In Ireland, we have such a storytelling-based culture where your first thought would never be to doubt a wild story.”

The “Sleeping Bag” Portion

Beyond the stories of adventure, Nihill’s set provides a mirror to the American lifestyle—specifically our obsession with “more.”

“The big thing that strikes me as an immigrant is portion control,” Nihill notes. “You go to Costco and you’re like, ‘I can’t believe that’s actually real.’ You stumble across facts like you are five times more likely to die choking on your food if you live in America than any other country. And then you see the bags of chips—or crisps, as we call them. We eat them out of a little bag the size of my hand; in America, you find people eating them out of sleeping bags. It’s an industrial-sized portion. America freaks us out a little bit when we get here.”

Avoiding the Red and Blue

In an era where comedy can often feel like a political rally, Nihill prefers to steer clear of the partisan divide, focusing instead on the absurdity of human behavior. He isn’t apolitical, but he is wary of “groupthink.”

“I weave in things that are certainly happening in society, 100%,” he says. He points to the absurdity of international relations with a uniquely Irish hypothetical: “If Donald Trump can just turn up and take a president from another country… what happens if you run out of Budweiser? Are you just going to decide you’re going to come to Ireland and take our Guinness? We’re kind of emotionally attached to that.”

Nihill’s goal is to find the funny without being divisive. “We’re not red or blue, we’re not liberal or democratic. This is funny and here’s why it’s funny. It’s just shining a light or a mirror back on someone’s behavior.”

David Nihill performs one night only at Hilarities 4th Street Theatre on Sunday, February 15. Tickets are available at the Hilarities box office or online. Come for the stories, stay for the photographic proof.