Can there be anyone who doesn't know even a little bit about this Glaswegian ex-welder turned comedian? Assuming there is, let me give you a wee biography. Billy Connolly is about as Scottish as a man can get, with that adorable accent and a freaky, almost manic, ability to spin a yarn. He also sings, and plays guitar and banjo (although not at the same time), but you don't get to see that in these shows, although the play out credits of the second show uses one of Billy's excellent banjo numbers as accompaniment. Beginning his career many, many years ago, he has developed a unique stage performance that, to this day, still sells out concert halls and theatres in numerous countries.

Married to Australian comedian Pamela Stephenson (Not The Nine O' Clock News), Billy's career has mostly been one of stage performances that can last for hours, but also covers stage, television and, increasingly of late, feature films. This 2 on 1 release features two shows from 1991 and 1994, and while neither are particularly new, be assured that Billy's style has changed little in all the years he's been doing this. It is also quite freaky watching this - how many of the topics are still making news today?

Billy Connolly's stage show is a one-person effort. There are no skits, no video sketches melded in, no props (only water, a glass, and a stool), and in the case of the first show, a microphone stand. Billy doesn't need props you see. Using exaggerated mime, story telling, and numerous facial expressions, Billy will have you using your imagination as he takes you on a verbal journey. Most of his 'jokes' are short stories, usually about his past, or a recent experience, and they can take up to 30 minutes to tell. He is easily sidetracked, but will almost certainly end up where he started, even if we as an audience have forgotten how the story began. I have personally been to a three hour show, where Billy only related three stories, but I came away with aching sides - literally. With Billy, it's not so much the story that is hilarious, it's his enthusiasm in retelling it that is so infectious. He focuses on the things that many of us don't take the time to see, and you come away seeing humour in things that once appeared bland and conventional.

There are many adjectives that I wanted to use in this review, and rather than write repetitive, gushing paragraph after paragraph, I'll use them all now. Manic, vibrant, animated, clever, ranting, visual, exuberant, insightful, observant, interactive, energetic, and hilarious. There, I think that covers it. I guess the only thing left is to warn (remind) you that Billy is not adverse to a certain four letter word, and if you can get past that you will find his performance bordering on genius. By the end, you'll be so numbed by *that* word, that no matter where or when, you'll never feel quite as disturbed by it again.

Three hours is probably too much for one sitting, and I would recommend watching the performances separately. This is easy to do, as the menu allows you to select either show. I think there has been some editing however, as there seems to be the slightest continuity errors at times, but I can promise you that you will barely notice. The other giveaway is that Billy Connolly shows almost always last longer than 90 minutes. Still, at a combined running time of three hours, this is great value.

Live at the Odeon Hammersmith and Live 1994 are very similar in video and audio quality. Both are full frame and hence are not 16x9 enhanced. The Hammersmith gig, being the older of the two, has good colouring and is quite a sharp picture. Quick shots of the audience are extremely grainy and very dark but they are not relevant shots. Shadow detail is good, and although there is minimal stage lighting, it is not an issue as there are no other performers or props. Billy Connolly favours wearing black on stage, but I found very few problems seeing him against the dark stage areas. The Hammersmith show sees Billy wearing a white shirt, and there are frequent problems with glare when the bright spotlight hits him in close up. There are some instances of pixelisation and aliasing, but I found them to be minor, and with the pace of the show there is little opportunity to dwell on them.

The 1994 show is of slightly better quality all 'round. Again, the stage and lighting are minimal and therefore colours and shadow details are fine, as they are not overly abundant. Billy this time wears all black, but this is not a problem. There were some more minor instances of aliasing, but again nothing to dwell on.

There was no noticeable layer change so presumably each show has a dedicated layer.

Audio is fairly standard. Both shows are Dolby Digital 2.0 and, as such, there is no action from anything other than the front speakers. There is little noticeable separation, but the entire show is clear and there are no problems with synchronisation. There are no sound effects and no music, other than over the opening and closing credits. There is a slight right channel drop out in the Hammersmith show, but it's so slight I had to scan back to double check. It occurs during audience laughter so it's not really a problem. One slight, non dialogue drop out in three hours is acceptable. There is also a slight click at 86:09 in the 1994 show, which is due to editing. It was at this point that my earlier editing suspicions were confirmed. There is bound to be more evidence of editing, but the shows do appear fairly seamless.

The only other noticeable audio difference is that, in the 1994 show, Billy wears a wee clip-on microphone, which doesn't cope well with some of Billy's more vocal moments, but the slight distortion is not a fault of the transfer. The 1991 Hammersmith show sees Billy using a microphone on a stand, and there are some slight volume fluctuations as he moves to and fro. There are no subtitles provided but trust me, you won't need them. His accent is strong, but not too strong.

There are no extras. Not a bloody one. A wee bit disappointing, and maybe a wee biography might have been nice.

Overall, I had a great time watching both features, and had more than a few hearty belly laughs. The audio and video quality are more than adequate, and although loaded with that word, the subject matter is not overly offensive. For those who have seen the man live, you know what you're getting. If you are new to Billy Connolly, then this is a fine introduction. Great value.