Comedy review: Gilded Balloon Comedy Circuit 2010

GILDED BALLOON COMEDY CIRCUIT 2010* * *

AS A former rapper, street performer and magician respectively, Doc Brown, Stuart Goldsmith and Ali Cook carry a cocksure strut of confidence into their Scottish mini-tour. But the Englishmen are largely unfamiliar with the towns and cities they're performing in and seem keen to know more.

Charitably speaking, Stirling's audience was intimate for these three relatively unknown acts, but the generous back and forth banter was a pleasure to behold, the quizzical, bewildered Goldsmith even workshopping one of his politely received gags through several audience suggestions for improvement.

Regardless, Loose Women's warm-up man was the standout turn, managing to engage with none too remarkable memories of growing up in dull Leamington Spa and flirting with adolescent gothdom. Having established this self-deprecating persona "that mums like", he guaranteed a pique of interest when he moved into racier routines on experimental sex and fetish clubs.

Initially, compere Brown could only offer commonplace and circuitous observations on parenthood and extremes of weather in different parts of the world. But Zadie Smith's brother kicked off the second half amusingly with a po-faced rap on racism composed by his 14-year-old self.

Yorkshireman Cook follows in a long line of comedy-magicians combining stunning tricks with stand-up that's occasionally equally assured, other times endearingly faltering. But he adds dark inflections and isn't above manically gurning to grab the laughs. His goldfish gurgitating is impressive but his razor blade swallowing finale is bloody brilliant.