Stephen Grant

Published Thursday 2 September 2004 at 14:35 by Helena Thompson

Very few stand-ups would dare to make a mockery of Nestle while auditioning to be in one of their ads. Nor relish the parallels between political trends and mundane details of daily life. But then, Stephen Grant is nothing if not original.

Supremely intelligent yet utterly accessible, his charm lies in the quick-fire speed of his mind. Dexterously drawing on the audience’s every response - on the self-confessed premise that a comic’s ability to provoke and deal with hecklers is crucial - he delivers his insights like a brilliant stream of consciousness.

Cue a series of astute pieces of social analysis. Grant is not ashamed to criticise a comedy industry in which wannabes find themselves with more chance of getting on TV and less chance of making money. Nor does he shy away from an impromptu assessment of a strange sweet found rolling on to the stage from an audience’s pick and mix.

No subject is too great or small for Grant, for his wit is omnivorous. The only disappointment of the evening comes at the end of his tirade, when the sense that he has scarcely taken a breath of air slowly dawns. Delivered at break-neck speed, the audience is left wanting more.