Stephen Grant, Gilded Balloon

Paper, scissors, stone: how Germany lost the war

This is a show about stand-up comedians by a stand-up comedian that thankfully will appeal to more than just other stand-up comedians.

This is a show about stand-up comedians by a stand-up comedian that thankfully will appeal to more than just other stand-up comedians.

Grant, whose regular slot at the Brighton Komedia Club has earned him a cult status, is an engaging host and an easy person to spend an hour with, even if he is dressed for a darts competition. Using his experiences on the club circuit, in particular his reputation for dealing with hecklers and his brush with television work, Grant creates an act that is something more than just insider talk.

During one tale, about a heckler in Swindon, he tells the best-constructed joke I have yet heard on the Fringe, describing how the rise of the Nazis and their defeat in the Second World War can be explained by the game paper, scissors, stone. It's brilliant and I'm not going to spoil it for you here.

Also alluring is the tale of how he and fellow stand-up Gordon Southern sabotaged their audition for a job advertising yogurt.

The only dampener on the evening is that while the material is good it doesn't always get the laughs it deserves. Grant's delivery doesn't always have the range and inflection to give that extra oomph to his gags, even though on paper they speak for themselves.

Tomorrow till 30 August; call 0131-622 6556