Fred MacAulay

Swindon Arts Centre, Old Town, Swindon

Fred MacAulay, in his native Scotland, is something of a well-known name; from his work on BBC Radio Scotland, to his various appearances on TV, he has developed a significant following.

Being a Scot myself, when I saw the experienced raconteur was heading for Swindon, I sought a little taste of home. And suffice it to say, I was not disappointed.

Despite being only his second tour south of Hadrian's Wall, and his first visit to Swindon, the turn-out was slightly better than terrible, with more than half the auditorium seats taken. Playing to an audience of Scots and newbies, MacAulay quickly found his stride.

Bouncing from the Independence Referendum to cheap Californian motels, filming with Sandi Toksvig to salty football spectators, every topic was handled deftly, leaving the audience in stitches. A few choice words regarding the general election and picking apart Roy Orbison lyrics proved to be particularly fertile topics (I drove all night […] / crept in your room/woke you […] to make love to you/is that alright? “No it isn't Roy!”)

Not offensive, but never vanilla, taking a gentle tone, but capable of wild left swings, this was an assured night of stand-up from a master of the art.

Someone once said that the measure of an excellent comedian is whether they are someone you would like to have a pint with: by that mark MacAulay might well have found a fair few watering-hole companions for life in Swindon town. -  by Sean Cameron