Rich Hall, best know for his caustic stand-up, including his character Otis Lee Crenshaw, has turned his hand to theatre. Set in a West Texas radio station, Levelland is an hour or so in the life of talk radio jock Wayman (Hall). He is loud, opinionated and knows he is always right, cutting off or cutting down his callers with relish. The price of gas (petrol) has hit 10 dollars, and a stranger, Scrope (Nathaniel Davis), has come in search of him.

Tackling themes of religion, politics and the oil crisis, Levelland could have been heavy going but it is sustained throughout with strong performances’Nathaniel Davis is outstanding as the disturbed Scrope. The show is acerbic, intelligent and well written with some great one-liners. Set at cracking pace, we barely get to meet Hall’s character before the action starts to unfold.

Director Guy Masterson has crafted a claustrophobic and conspiratorial atmosphere for the show. It is dark and dramatic, lightened by Hall’s wit and ear for dialogue. While the conclusion might not hit the heights the rest of the show has been aiming for, it is still a damn good. Designed to get the audience thinking as well as laughing, Levelland succeeds at both. And as far as personal philosophies go, John Cougar Mellencamp’s ‘You have to stand for something, or you’ll fall for anything’ isn’t too bad. Actually it is. But go to this show’it is sharp, smart and funny.