Nick Revell, author and satirist, on his return to comedy
A comic-turned-author has had to relearn the rules of engagement for his return to stand-up
Nick Revell is a survivor. As one of the acts who was around at the start of the thing we call alternative comedy, he has flitted in and out of love with stand-up, but the fact that he is still kicking gags around and fleeing across the country in search of new laughs proves that he has staying power.
Revell did quit the comedy circuit for the best part of a decade to concentrate on his writing career, but he enjoyed having to learn the new rules of engagement in a business which had gone from burrowing along the fringes of entertainment to the superstratosphere of having acts who could suddenly play to huge stadium crowds.
‘I had to subconsciously monitor what subjects might have a level of taboo or edginess to them and what subjects the audiences are plugged into,’ says Revell. ‘When you’re doing it all the time, you’re constantly aware of it and when you step away from it you have to relearn all the delicate things.’
The Stand, Edinburgh, Thu 21–Sat 23 Feb.