IT'S not often a stand-up routine contains nearly an hour of jokes based almost exclusively on the scientific period table.

But, humourless as that catalogue of the atomic world may be, funnyman Chris Addison managed to pull off the equivalent of a comic chemical reaction last night.

Perrier-nominated Addison transformed the most mundane material - hydrogen, carbon and sulphur dioxide - into a set of pure comedy gold.

Despite the ability to turn science into scintillating entertainment by weaving dry detail into brilliant anecdotes, the comic survived the early stages of a marathon two-hour City Screen set after negotiating a heckler from hell. Poor Addison had only been on stage a matter of minutes when York's answer to David Brent decided people would rather hear his anodyne comments than jokes from a professional comedian of ten years.

Fortunately, the ludicrous jibes came to an abrupt halt when the heckler left at the break - and Addison was able to continue weaving his web of bizarre social commentary on an increasingly entranced crowd.

Nothing escaped his razor-sharp gaze. From pirates as disability pioneers, through to the perils of "chill out" CDs to alleviate stress; wafer-thin and self-confessed "ponce" Addison - a bizarre hand-flapping hybrid of actorJohn Cusack and pop star Jarvis Cocker - had it all in his laughter locker.

During many highlights, Addison delivered a master class in intelligent, but accessible, comedy.

Perhaps his two-hour set stretched material to breaking point. But biting wit and the ability to deal with a numbskull punter signalled a true talent.

Updated: 09:10 Monday, June 13, 2005