Dawn chorus

At Laughter Lounge, Dublin

More Nick Revell videos

Nick Revell started performing stand-up in 1980, and was a regular at the Comedy Store from 1982, performed at Jongleurs from the day it opened, and was nominated for the Perrier in 1987.

From 1985 to 1992 he recorded six series of the Million Pound Radio Show with Andy Hamilton, which was named best radio comedy at the British Comedy Awards, and he also had his own radio sitcom that ran for two series.

But in 1992 he quit the circuit to concentrate on writing - only to return in 2002, making his Edinburgh comeback with the show Bare Bones the following year.

During his haitus he wrote and performed two solo stage shows: The Ghost of John Belushi Flushed My Toilet in 1993 and Liberal Psychotic in 1995 – and wrote two novels: Night Of The Toxic Ostrich and House Of The Spirit Levels

His TV writing credits include  Drop The Dead Donkey,  Not The Nine O’Clock News, Three of a Kind and Naked Video, as well as stand-up routines for Dave Allen, Jasper Carrot and Bob Monkhouse

Original Review:

Admittedly, some of the yarns he spins rely on familiar assumptions – of the way we are all supposed to act when drunk, staggering home with a kebab, for instance, or the broad stereotypes of any number of nationalities, particularly the French. But these truisms are skilfully wrapped inside thoroughly engaging anecdotes, told with such narrative drive to ensure the audience are hanging on to the unfolding story, rather than listening, expectantly, for any obvious jokes. So when the punchlines do strike, they come out of the blue, and are so all the better for it.

With such a command of an audience’s attention, it would be a waste for Revell to squander his descriptive brilliance on the mundane, and he can, should the mood take him, leave safer topics behind to indulge his own interests. Who else would get away with a routine about 16th century satirist Rabelais and the debate he provoked over the finer points of Biblical translation? This strikingly original segment may be thin on jokes, but he still holds the audience rapt.

Not only can Revell play to a crowd who’d appreciate such smarts, but he has the performance skills and the experience – albeit interrupted by a lengthy sabbatical from the circuit he first joined in 1980 – to be able to tackle a rowdier room, too.

His abilities come to the fore in his signature routine, an almost operatic tour-de-force in which he recreates the territorial dawn chorus as if it were in English, rather than birdsong. This is impressive stuff, and a fitting end to an ambitious, and peerlessly told, set.

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Completely disagree Mr Williams. Nick Revell is a fine performer and has been for many years, I've never seen him do a bad gig yet!

Michael Monkhouse, January 2013

Absolutely terrible. From the start he had six people walk out and leave. The man died tonight. I was there with my girlfriend (as professional twentysomethings) and with our parents (educated 50 somethings - I'm guessing meant to be his primary audience) and none of us thought he was any good. He even dropped down to the lowest common denominated with a 'pedophile' joke, and even that wasn't funny. The biggest irony was this man bringing up class issues, trying to slate David Cameron and Nick Clegg when he is of the same socio-economic status as clegg and cameron. The man probably lives in Hampstead. That is the irony. He was performing in Crouch End and still died. Really really disapointing. I'm surprised at the people on here calling his political rants, 'sharp', as they weren't. Avoid.

James Williams, December 2012

One of the best acts on the circuit; insightful and clever but thankfully not above throwing in a bit of silly too - highly recommended!

Kay, October 2012

Saw Nick again at the Other/Funny Side of Covent garden and was chuffed to see he's still an outstanding comic.

Michael Monkhouse, October 2009

I saw Nick on 25th March 2009 in Pontardawe. He was excellent! His piece on the rivalry between his home Yorkshire town's youth and neighbouring town's youth was brilliant, exchanging philosophical insults. A masterpiece. It was clever and funny. He is politically acute, and has a great sense of rhythm when he delivers his observations on everyday situations. He handled the audience with wit and charm, especially when a young women had spent most of his set tapping her foot to the music she'd been listening to on her MP3 player. His gentle and polite rebuke had the audience on his side. I last heard Nick on his own radio show over 20 years ago, and was impressed then. If you have a chance to see him, take it!

Richard Davies, April 2009

Saw this guy again last night and he confirmed what I thought first time I tuned in to The Million Pound Radio Show over twenty years ago: namely, he has it all. And if there were any justice in this world he'd be a household name. Grabs your attention with snappy one-liners, holds you in the palm of his hand as he ranges from the sublime (religion) to the ridiculous (kebab-fuelled farts) through the just plain kookie (Brits as birds). Watch Nick and see how it's done. Or just watch him and laugh yerself stoopid.

Michael Monkhouse, July 2008

Went down like a lead balloon at Greenwich last night, looking around the room hardly anyone laughing. More than one person shouted "Tell us a joke", shame really - maybe it was just a bad day for him.

John, July 2008

Nick Revell took a few moments to find his comedy gears, but once he found his sweet spot he rocked the room. Effortlessly weaving in and out of different characters to embolden his flights of fantasy he soon has you in his world and you don't want to leave. With a strong stage presence this hardened pro knows how to work all areas of an audience and doesn't fall into the trap of focusing his energy into one spot. His section on reinterpreting the dawn chorus as comparable to a territorial lads night out for getting your leg over was inspired. He has a strong grip on on the language of northern aggression and when Nick reconstructs male northerners exchanging abuse over philosophical theories you are in no doubt you are in the presence of a powerful imagination. With the comic energy to wake up a morgue you get the feeling you could parachute this man in front of the most reluctant of audiences and he'll get them laughing, outstanding act, go see him.

David Honan, December 2007

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