Alan Francis is a traditional comedian whose intelligent discourse is delivered through a thick Edinburgh accent, despite him now holding residence in London.

The routine opens with a light-hearted look back at recent times as Francis bemoans his recent weight gain, divulges his witness account of a bar fight in London's east end and discusses at length his reluctance to accept anything that resembles new-age technology.

As the comic broaches the subject of religion and in particular his childhood experiences with the Church of Scotland, Francis becomes notably animated. Eventually arriving upon the subject of modern politics, Francis reaches top gear and as his fury heightens so too does the comedy value of the show. As the comic gives his own hilarious depiction of the current financial problems it becomes clear that such issues lie uncomfortably close to the Scotsman's heart.

As Francis reflects on the utopia he once believed would be his future he concludes with the cold realism of the political options afforded to him today; “I do prefer the Labour party to the Conservatives, much like I prefer a hard shit to full-blown diarrhoea”

Gilded Balloon, 622 6555, Until 26 August (not 13 or 20), 8.15pm, £8--£9