The pieces in On the Outskirts, like its predecessors [The Day of the Dog and The Book of Fub], have the remarkable virtue, shared with some books of poems, of gaining strength from contiguity. A common tone comes through, and, more importantly, that firm point of view which earlier students of Mr Frayn were quick to notice. You can have your laugh at Wittgenstein, 'informal' television discussions, letters to Radio Times, and at the abiding nonsense of public relations and advertising; but you have to take, too, such a scorching piece of brilliant and humane contempt as 'From Each According to His Need', where the bland, thoughtless stock responses to the Welfare State are shown up in all their selfishness. Mr Frayn and his supporting cast of Rollo Swavely, Christopher Smoothe, Ken Nocker, the Crumbles, et al. are very funny; and when you laugh till it hurts, you...