Daniel Sloss is not a comedian I've seen before, except doing sets on American chat shows and occasionally on UK TV. He's Scottish and has been performing stand-up since he was seventeen (he's now thirty-two).
Why did I not seek him out before? I'm not sure. I think I was put off by his cocksureness, especially in one so young. That was my loss. For fifteen years he has been honing his craft, putting in the hours writing and performing jokes and it shows in his delivery and confidence on stage. This is not just a job to him but a calling. He's worked hard to be a success. Tonight, he's not phased at all to play to three thousand fans.
His set revolved around what his seventeen-year-old self would think of his current self, the nature of entertainment and offence, and a hefty chunk about the birth of his son and life as a father. He even managed to squeeze in a callback to the material of his support act, Kai Humphries.
He's articulate, intelligent and not ashamed to tread the line of offence. I wasn't sure if his losing his thread at one point was deliberate or staged but he handled it professionally, never risking derailing the gig. He sat down, took a swig of his whisky and had a think. The audience waited and then he came back.
I don't always laugh out loud at comedians, often admiring their skill more than being consumed by hilarity, but he reached inside me tonight and drew out some big chuckles. I would highly recommend this show.
(Ticket price £29.60)
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