Eric Bogosian’s night-in-the-life of an acerbic radio talk show host is, above all other things, a vehicle for an actor who can communicate tightly-wound and potentially dangerous energy along with a gradually evident self-hatred. In short, the job description virtually says ‘cast a stand-up comic here’ and it is as the culmination of several recent Edinburgh Festivals in which comics have been invited to stretch their acting muscles that the newly-formed Comedians’ Theatre Company and 2005’s Stage Award-winning actor Phil Nichol present this high-energy, frequently funny but just as frequently disquieting production.

The late-night radio host played by Nichol is the sort who argues with and puts down every caller, whatever position they take on whatever issue. Witty, uncensored and able to think faster than any of his audience, he is entertaining in a macabre way and it is only slowly that Bogosian lets us notice that he is equally nasty to an anti-Semite and a supporter of Jews and treats a pathetically agoraphobic woman and a frightened pregnant teenager with exactly the same knee-jerk viciousness as a boring sports fan.

Eventually, and perhaps a bit too suddenly, Bogosian lets the guy realise that his listeners don’t really respect him either but listen just for the vicarious sadism, and that triggers a contempt-filled tirade against them that is obviously directed at himself as well. (Here, director and actor choose to play the key final scene of rage as outer, rather than inner as Bogosian himself did it, which is certainly more theatrical but perhaps less chilling.)

Stewart Lee directs with energy and focus that allow what is essentially a one-man show to fill a large theatre and Phil Nichol, who is rapidly becoming far more impressive as an actor than he ever was as a comic, generates the sense of danger and potential self-immolation that holds the theatre audience transfixed.

Strong support is provided onstage by Stephen K. Amos and Tiffany Stevenson as the program staff and Mike McShane as the station boss and offstage by the voices of a dozen or more callers.