Steve Hughes: While it's Still Legal

While it's difficult not to draw parallels and wonder whether this has all been done before, Steve Hughes does manage to pull it off.  He tells us at the top that some people may be offended ("I swear a fucking lot," he says, "and there's some real dark bits; walk out if you like"), but his amiable delivery seems at odds with this warning. He cuts a confident, likeable figure, and delivers each joke, story and comment well, emitting chuckles himself as he feeds off contagious laughter.

Clearly erudite, he has some issues to raise: colonialism, drug laws, and political correctness all get a lash of his fairly barbed tongue. Although entertaining, the content lacks originality; however, it seems not to matter as the near sell-out crowd are less quick to judge, as one whoop from the front row testifies.

The whole sets moves along smoothly as he peppers these monologues with a spot of self-deprecation and one-liners; and as he signs off at the show's close, warm applause, grins, and appreciation fill the room. He may draw on other acts, and he may be a bit less edgy than he thinks, but he does deliver a fine hour.