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Tasty: Robin Ince

Aren't men and women different, eh? Hah! Yeah. And you know, like, when you smoke weed, it really makes you want to eat Lion bars, doesn't it? Doesn't it? Yeah, this guy knows.

Thus goes the template for at least 50% of stand-up acts. If that is your bag, stop reading now, but if you find it staid, predictable and b.o.r.i.n.g. then read on.

Because Battersea Arts Centre's N20 festival features some of the brightest, brilliantest, bestest comics around, with barely a munchies gag between them. There are if.comeddie nominees - Andrew Maxwell and Pappy's Fun Club (from Tooting) - one of America's finest comedy exports, Reginald D. Hunter, Stewart Lee's former cohort Richard Herring and tips for the future, Wil Hodgson and Noble and SIlver.

Perhaps the most original of the lot is Robin Ince, who has made his name supporting Ricky Gervais and through his Book Club shows, which began as a low-key experiment two years ago in a north London pub. In it, he played curator, inviting fellow comics to read from second-hand books brought in by the audience, and also let them just muck about, try out what they liked.

Ince spawned a monster, and it toured the UK to rave reviews and earned him a Time Out Comedy Award for Outstanding Achievement.

His new show, Robin Ince's School For Gifted Children, which comes to BAC on Monday, follows the same principles of letting his guests off the leash. Ince's guests' brief is to talk about something they are passionate about. Simple. Whether it is "nature of integers, the invention of snooker or the human genome project," says Ince.

"I tried one in November when I decided to assassinate Book Club," he continues, "we had Ben Moore doing something melancholy on lost gloves and lost love, Simon Munnery talking about the politics of buying a pool cue and Josie Long did something on astronomy."

"I looked at people when they were leaving and they had beatific smiles. The idea wasn't to be uproarously funny, it was more like wow, I'm having a really brilliant time'."

In celebratory mood: Richard Herring

Monday's show sees comic and BBC broadcaster Andrew Collins talk about serial killers ("maybe it's the frustration of writing BBC1 sitcoms, I don't know," Ince speculates) and the inventor of John Shuttleworth, Graham Fellows, present his new creation Dave Tordoff, the Hull scree expert who fancies a career change into after-dinner speaking.

Also appearing is the most life-affirming of comedians, Josie Long, singer with cult indie band Hefner, Darren Hayman and composer for (genuine comedy genius) Daniel Kitson's shows, Gavin Osborn, who will be putting his favourite words and events into song.

"There is a lot of hope and trust involved in this, but I'm going to keep on doing them and tour it in the autumn. Every town and city has people who want something a little bit different to a normal comedy night."

Robin Ince's School For Gifted Children; BAC, Lavender Hill, Battersea, SW11 5TN, January 28, 20.30, £10/£6, call bac.org.uk or call 020 7223 2223 for booking and full N20 Festival schedule.

4:15pm Monday 21st January 2008

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