Steven Hallmark

THIS is not David Brent.

He looks like him and sounds like him - let's face it he can't really help that.

What this is, is cynical, tasteless, politically incorrect stand-up at its very best.

After a scooping a pair of BAFTA's for the two tremendous series of The Office Ricky Gervais has become (to quote every other reviewer in the country) 'The hottest property in British comedy'.

The Jonny Wilkinson of comedy he may be, despite the bad hair and beer belly, but if this show had been below-par he may have been looking at a third series at Wernham Hogg rather than floods of new offers.

He doesn't fail though and shows just how good he can be when he plays himself.

This performance at the Bloomsbury Theatre contains everything from gay animals to Pol Pot in a perfectly balanced performance that just manages to avoid going too far over the line, depending on where you like your line to be, and keeps the laughs coming.