Jon Richardson is clearly a sensitive man: aged disparaging reviews, the curling of microphone wires and the absence of anyone called Geoff in the audience all seem capable of throwing him off beat.
That’s despite clearly being talented and popular enough to pack out the Theatre Royal and keep an audience laughing throughout an impressive two-hour set.
In his own words, he’s not very good at being happy, which means he has something to say. Targets for his attention included America’s disdain for health and safety, the UK’s tendency to conflate sunny weather with hideous drunkenness, and — in a particularly withering section — the tragedy of replacing TV show Blind Date with Take Me Out.
His style is one of a storyteller, creating scenarios as rich in detail as humour and delivered with an impish wink and overtone of knitwear.
You wouldn’t believe it was possible to laugh along as much with a man in a cardigan.
