Paul Revill: Revillations

The "revillations" on offer here chart Paul Revill's journey to standup. His narrative begins as an only child growing up in Luton and, later, a nondescript English village. It's once he gets to his teenage years and discovers drink and drugs that his life course changes, opting to study drama at university, much to his parents' ire. From that beginning we are led on a journey that aims to explain why someone might choose to spend their August gigging for free in a tiny room in Edinburgh. This, then, is an origin story.

Given the focus on booze and narcotics this has the potential to be boorish and laddish. And there is a veneer of that as Revill outlines his techniques for chatting up women. But the twinkle in his eye points to tales of regret and missed opportunities that highlight the consequences of debauchery. This isn't an apology, but it is at least apologetic.

A keystone for the show is Revill's experiences as a drama student, and he sends up the theatrical games pretentious acting teachers foist upon their charges. His blokey demeanour means he was never going to fit into that milieu, and it is comedy that offered him an escape route. It's unfortunate that the physical humour that peppers the show isn't as tightly honed as the verbal, for there's a notable charm in the gag delivery that shows skill with a punchline. The show is an argument for Revill's decision to be a comedian, and it's a convincing one.