First things first – this is not your typical stand-up show. Don’t be upset – that’s a good thing. Alexis Dubus is here to give you all an in-depth, well researched lecture on the history of swearing. It’s educational, informative, sometimes unbelievable and overall entertaining.

Strangely enough, given the title, this show is about bad words. Lots of them. There is ample warning if you are somewhat offended by naughtiness, and the audience participation element of yelling out your favourite curse word should be enough to send any meek participants into bright red mode (I was part of a ‘fuck’ audience, which reverberated around Trades Hall as it was bellowed by the full house).

Alexis manages to tread the line between informational overload and casual conversation with grace and ease, all the time swearing like a gutter monkey. It’s magnificent. He educates on the history of the potty mouth from ancient times through to the modern day, interspersed with stories and anecdotes from his own journey, all the while building to a very clear conclusion – that the art of language is fascinating, regardless of the words you use.

This show is actually quite light on the gags, and it’s a refreshing change. The traditional cymbal-roll jokes that Alexis has opted to avoid are instead replaced by his wit, charisma and enthusiasm for the subject. It doesn’t matter that every second line doesn’t have a punchline – he is obviously entertained by the process of teaching you about the magic of swearing, and it certainly rubs off.

I have never before learned so much while laughing out loud.

Finished reading this article? You might also like:

• Sarah Millican – Sarah Millican’s Not Nice
• A Stitch in Time: A History of Frocking Up
• Mark Butler