Also note that if you don’t like swearing or are easily offended then this is certainly not the man or article for you. For many the name Frankie Boyle will mean nothing but for those who spend too much time in front of the TV watching comedy panel shows, the man is a God. His regular slot on BBC show Mock the Week providing his dry wit and snazzy suits a platform from which he has built a large fan base.

Frankie is near to the mark with his comedy and although some may say it goes too far, you must accept that this is the philosophy you buy into when watching a Frankie Boyle stand up. A series of snappy raw jokes fill the majority of the show including much ridicule of his native Scotland and constant references to topics such as rape, disability and paedophilia. I did say it was near to the mark. The rest of the show is filled with fresh banter, with the audience accepting much abuse. In these interludes you can see hints of the genius of the man. With some top rate put downs leaving some members of the audience embarrassed and the rest laughing along at their expense hoping they are not next to be picked upon.

There is no doubting the comedy talent of the man, the majority of the audience are laughing along throughout the whole show. His timing is exceptional and its dealt through his surprisingly cheery nature. This keeps the audience in his hands making almost any jokes acceptable. Boyle thrives on the sharp intakes of breath from his audience after yet another cutting joke. Often standing arms spread wide open with a cheeky grin, chuckling to himself, his evil laugh reverberating around the theatre.

It is however easy to see how some don’t like it. It’s obvious to see that some may find the material uncomfortable as he really has pushed the barriers. It could also be said that the gig lacked in content. With Boyle producing a reel of jokes with very little substance provided, much like a Jimmy Carr show. Also many may find the overuse of swearing unnecessary. In particular his use of the word which must not be repeated, which is used a bit too much for my liking. Although this offensiveness is how he gets his laugh. My final quibble with the stand up is that I had heard much of it before. Many of his best jokes were ones taken straight from the many panel shows from which he has made his name. This made me wonder if it was worth the entrance fee, as I could have found some of this material anywhere on the internet.

This said, if you like comedy then you will love Frankie Boyle. The shear talent of the man is evident in the question section of the show and this is worth the entrance fee alone. In this section he lets the audience ask questions and, on the spot, he has the audience reeling with laughter with his responses. This is perhaps evidence of his success on the comedy panel show format. I would personally like to see more substance to his set before he tours again but this should come with time. That said he may not be the finished article (but if you love the offensive nature and can stand the swearing,) he isn’t all that far off.