Suggestively subtitled ‘The Money Shot’, Aidan Killian’s solo show is not (as he gleefully informs us at the outset) about pornography or sex – it’s about something far more sordid. A former investment banker, Killian has taken it upon himself to spend an hour telling us about the ills and evils of money, persuading us to part with as much of it as possible in the process.

The show skips between various skits on the nature of currency, beginning with a political diatribe against all of the leaders of the world. Hot on its heels comes a similarly vitriolic attack on banking and bankers, followed by a brief discourse on anti-Semitism and rounded off with a bizarre but carefully constructed narration of his escape from the womb.

The writing is punchy and clever, with jokes and quips worked into pretty much every single sentence. Its complexity and density is a testament to Killian’s wit and insight – unfortunately, the gags come at such a fast pace that it’s sometimes hard to keep up with them all. Before the audience has deciphered one witticism riffing on the absurdity of modern society, Killian has squeezed a handful of other harangues into the same sentence.

Indeed, the only time he takes pause for breath is when a punchline falls flat. The material is tightly-constructed and a lot of thought has clearly gone into each and every line, so when a joke fails to provoke the appropriate howls of laughter from the crowd, Killian seems to almost take it personally. In fact, the silence following his flops is so pronounced that he even draws attention to it himself, which is presumably an attempt to dispel the awkwardness but unfortunately only adds to it.

What’s more, the delivery is clearly a practiced affair. While it’s certainly better to race through a performance than stutter along, Killian’s recital of his material sometimes comes off as too polished and unnatural. His undoubtedly excellent showreel could benefit from dropping in a pause or two before the punchline, rather than after it.

Killian is obviously a smart and talented comic and his set is absolutely crammed with puns, gags and jibes. However, the sheer depth of the wordplay, coupled with his rapid-fire delivery, threaten to overwhelm the material and conspire to make a great show merely a good one. For all that, he’s well worth an hour of your time.