Live At The Apollo

Some of these half hours of live stand-up comedy are bound to be better than others, but this is one of the very best. It begins with a routine by the manic, semi-hinged Welshman Rhod Gilbert. The last time he was at the Apollo he had apoplexy on stage describing the unnecessary complications of buying a duvet. Fortunately, he hasn't calmed down one iota, and tonight he begins by mocking café life in rain-soaked Cardiff ("people have to throw lifebuoys to their bread rolls") before unleashing a tidal wave of frustration at the complexities of washing machines. He is followed by John Bishop, who could scarcely be more different. Deadpan, bewildered and resigned, he describes the difficulty of bringing up teenage boys. It's a brilliant half hour.