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The appeal of comedy has been the subject of many an academic discourse over the centuries. We may all recognise it at an instinctive level but its precise nature is difficult to pin down. Some have suggested that, at last in stand-up form, it's mostly about confidence an aggression. Other primates are, after all, fascinated by such displays. On stage, an assured comedian owns the audience, which builds up the ego. The audience, in turn, are drawn to the sense of certainty that brings, delighting in being members of this strong leader's group. So who is the heckler, risking exclusion by jeering from the sidelines? This is the challenger who is almost always destined to lose - to be left with aggression which has nowhere to go.

Joe (Guy Combes) enjoys owning the stage. He learned from his one time idol, Ray Kelly -...