Frankie Boyle, Wolverhampton Civic Hall, Sunday April 27
When comedian Russell Howard says fellow comic Frankie Boyle's act is near the knuckle you'd expect to be in for a bumpy ride.
So I was expecting to be offended as the wickedly witty Scotsman took to the stage for his sell-out gig at Wolverhampton Civic Hall on Sunday night.
But although the star of Mock the Week - alongside the aforementioned Mr Howard - pushed the comedy boundaries to the very limit he rarely went too far despite tackling a range of controversial topics including terrorism, paedophiles, homosexuality and politics.
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Boyle's dark sense of humour is not to everyone's taste but his talent is indisputable. His popularity has soared since his regular slot on BBC2's comedy panel show Mock the Week and appearances on C4's Eight Out of Ten Cats - but seeing him live is a real experience.
His wicked spin on the world of celebrity was hilarious, citing Victoria Beckham as the ultimate kidnap victim - "you could fax her body parts instead of posting them".
He slated Tom Cruise's obssesion with Scientology and his weird marriage' - "if you went round for dinner Katie would spell out get help' in the peas"!
But it was his analysis of Wayne Rooney's finances which really had the crowd rolling in the aisles. Boyle queried why he gets paid so much "when he would be just as happy with a tyre and a rope".
His relentless acerbic wit has the ability to make fans cry with laughter but he really tested their limits of good taste with a gag about the recently deceased Wolverhampton-born TV presenter Mark Speight which acheived more shocked gasps than laughs.
But no one dared to heckle the quick-witted funnyman during his 90-minute set - he would have made mincemeat of them.
A self-deprecating section of his routine - saying he gets mistaken for one of The Proclaimers ("they're twins!") or the bear from Bo Selecta - plus several pauses to chat to audience members who caught his eye really endeared him to the crowd. His off-the-cuff diversions into truly surreal territory proved he certainly doesn't need a script.
Boyle's deserved popularity made the tight security at the venue a little surprising - perhaps he's worried one day he'll push the joke too far
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