Dan Atkinson: Death By A Thouands Pricks

Atkinson tells his audience early into this year's show that he wants to reverse his previous tendency not to say what he feels. He certainly achieves this. Be it a distaste for his Tory MP landlady or lack of reverence for the "trendy, valueless pricks" in the Church of England, he isn't scared to voice opinions on the things that make him angry, and it is these opinions that make his show such a succes.

Bounding about on the small stage at the Baby Grand like a toned-down and more articulate version of Russell Brand, he tears through some of the more distasteful opinions in British society, such as the 'threats' faced by white heterosexual males and attacks on feminism, with the help of recordings from a morning phone-in chat show.

What makes Atkinson endearing is the feeling that he believes that his ramblings are important, and isn't making a joke for the sake of it. Take drinking. Atkinson lambasts tee-totalers, describing alcohol as the "solution to most problems," and condoning drinking only if it is on an excessive level (what, after all, is the point of one glass of wine?). The eccentric passion with which he approaches the thorny issue of binge drinking, combined with the bottle of beer in his hand, leaves the impression that he is simply spouting exactly what's on his mind; and being extremely funny at the same time. Combining political opinion with comedy can be a difficult trick to pull off without hectoring, but Atkinson does it brilliantly.