A stand up veteran – although mostly known for his portrayal of a fictional priest, of course – Ardal O’Hanlon knows how to tickle his fans. He seamlessly covers a huge range of topics, from politics to football. Yet the show didn’t seem quite glam enough for an enormous audience in the gorgeous Music Hall; the opening was rather shy, as he made muted remarks about the seating arrangements, and the ending wasa slightly uneasy, as he confessed he didn’t have a big finish, and nobody knew quite when to applaud. But O’Hanlon is adept at his craft, phrasing his jokes prettily so that they’re funny regardless of subject matter. Nothing was groundbreaking here, but as an evening of accomplished, good, clean, conventional comedy, it can’t be faulted.

The Assembly Rooms until 18 Aug, 7.00pm.
tw rating 3/5 | [Elizabeth Jewell]