Comedians **** TNT

Friday 23 October 2009 16:20 GMT

Despite its title, Trevor Griffiths’ political drama isn’t very funny – and that’s intentional. Written in 1975, it follows six would-be comics as they warm up for a make or break performance in front of a visiting talent scout.

We see them first – a milkman, an Irish labourer, the Jewish owner of a third-rate nightclub and a docker among others – in the Manchester classroom where former vaudevillian Eddie Waters has been holding evening classes for the last three months, trying to inculcate not only a sense of what will and what won’t work, but also the possibility of comedy as a force for change.

But it turns out that the talent-spotter (Keith Allen, Lily’s dad) is of the old school for whom political correctness definitely isn’t on the agenda. He’s all for giving the masses exactly what they want and, before returning to the classroom for the final verdict and analysis, we witness, turn by turn, just how far this disparate, desperate group are prepared to descend to crude sexist and racist cracks in order to get a job.

Played out in real time, this is an angry – if dated – piece of writing, and Sean Holmes (the Lyric’s new artistic director) has assembled a fine cast for his revival. Matthew Kelly’s unsmiling Eddie (the laughter knocked out of him by what he saw when individuals were reduced to stereotypes), Mark Benton and Reece Shearsmith’s antagonistic brothers (unwittingly sabotaging their chances when their double act falls apart) are particularly impressive, and David Dawson is unforgettable as mercurial van-driver Gethin. With his shaved head and troubled personality, he shocks everyone with an angry, mime-based routine of class hatred which challenges what comedy is all about.

Lyric Hammersmith, King ST, W6 0QL Tube: Hammersmith (0871 221 1726). Until Nov 14. £10-£25 (special offers for under 26-year-olds)