Yes, the ever-growing popularity of Brendan O’Carroll’s Mrs. Brown’s Boys is steadily becoming hard to ignore. What started in 2011 as a seemingly experimental move to late night BBC One for the Brown family has rocketed skyward ever since, garnering huge audience numbers and recognition for all involved. Though it must be said that the journey of Mrs. Brown is by no means a young one. The creator, writer and actor behind the Irish matriarch, Brendan O’Carroll, has been entertaining the public, often surrounded by an acting and production entourage of his family and closest friends that have by and large stuck with him from the beginning, for decades. Up and down Ireland, the stage show versions of Mrs. Brown’s adventures have been going strong for many years and, in between filming the hit TV show, the cast still go on the road in the UK. Though their popularity is now so great that this year’s tour features exclusively massive arena venues, such as the O2 Arena and the M.E.N Arena (I have booked my seat for one of these shows and am very much looking forward to it!).
By now some critics have panned Mrs. Brown’s Boys most with much frustration, saying that it is
simply and grossly rude, pantomime humour, and that O’Carroll is milking the
undeserved success he has now achieved. Opinion is entitled and is of course
bound to be varied, but I could not disagree more (‘the feckin’ eeedjits!’ as
Agnes might say). Yes I, as I’m sure many other fans will, openly admit that
the language is often crude , but this does not detract from, or is separate
to, the pure comedic value of Mrs.
Brown’s Boys, but simply adds to it. That along with many other elements,
such as the hilarious outtakes and bloopers that often make it into the
finished broadcasted piece, the ludicrous hilarity that often occurs week by
week in the Brown household, and the warm and experienced atmosphere that
radiates from the cast.
What’s more, the success of Mrs. Brown’s Boys is not measured in fans, both in the UK and
globally alone. For it has also garnered
many awards in the two years it has been shown by BBC One, including multiple
BAFTA awards and nominations.
O’Carroll does seem to me to be embracing his success but not
undeservedly for it is plain to see that he and his loved ones have worked
incredibly hard for a long time to get to this point, and long may they reign
as the team behind one of Britain’s now leading comedy shows. Indeed this seems
to be just so, as a game show, animated series, and motion picture, all
revolving around Mrs. Brown are said to be in the pipeline.
For me then, Mrs
.Brown’s Boys is a wonderfully hilarious and charming show, and if you
haven’t seen it yet, I urge you to do so, and also I defy you not to laugh.
