David Kay @ Glasgow Comedy Festival, 24 March

The modest title of David Kay's show is entirely in fitting with his persona as the ironically self-proclaimed 'Fireball of Scottish Comedy.' Far from arriving like a fireball, he ambles on stage and mumbles about how he probably should have rehearsed that bit; his delivery and overall demeanour make him a complete antithesis to flashy arena stand-ups.

Listening to him is not unlike hearing an elderly family member rambling on about the problems with kids these days, a feeling which is especially notable as he highlights the inanities of the Olympic torch passing or the jubilee celebrations with a gentle cynicism which is quintessentially Scottish and positions him as an every-man.

Kay revisits some of his best-known material here, including the 'pyjama troosers' and 'scone mix' routines. They're no less funny for being familiar, and he does tie this existing material to some topical stuff as well with amusing riffs on bedroom tax and a wonderfully fanciful suggestion for replacing trident missiles.

The balancing act of what is essentially accessible, almost mundane subject matter with challengingly understated delivery and heaps of surreal logic is what marks Kay out as one of the most interesting voices in the alternative comedy sphere at the moment. Quite unlike anyone else, his combination of styles seems to have an uncanny ability to traverse normal boundaries between the weird and the familiar, and given the right exposure he could appeal to a much larger audience than the one here tonight. [Chris Tapley]