The World Stands Up Opening Gala - 6 Mar, The Stand

A cowboy, an African American, a German and a Glaswegian walk into a bar. Punters, a little flummoxed by initial appearances are curious about the new arrivals. Each international arrival anticipates as much. To the comfort of the onlookers, they have come prepared, each with a badge. In effect, the spotlight is being thrown on them without them even realising - a playful exploitation. Two-dimensional cardboard cut-outs, with all the stereotypical trimmings, are armed with the ability to reiterate and revise a gap between experience and expectation.

German Comedian Henning Wehn captures this concept most perfectly. Cultural self-deprecation at the notion we perhaps have of the German's lack of humour is used as an effective weapon to exploit our preconceptions. Naturally, he also utilises that most constant of comedic currencies, baiting the English. 'Stalingrad 1942' is probably the funniest punchline of the evening. Marina Franklin has devised her set exclusively around the perspectives of an African American woman. While not daringly original, it is executed with the correct combination of warmth and cutting wit.

Possibly the least culturally transferable set is that of local youngster Kevin Bridges. Playing exclusively on local 'customs' while heavily employing the native vernacular, the material also suffers from a lack of originality, but is delivered with panache and an easy stage presence, making you realise this guy is one for the future. Wilson Dixon is perhaps the most pre-packaged cultural stereotype of the night. A Country and Western star from Cripple Creek, Colorado (he is actually the creation of Aussie comic Jesse Griffin), Dixon takes to the stage with a pony-tail, checked shirt and trusty gee-tahr, gently lacerating cliché after cliché from the perspective of a small-town hick. Each comedian shows that in imploding the concept of sameness, one can truly appreciate the humour in difference.