David O'Doherty

A Festival habitué by now, David O’Doherty is a slow-burner whose expressly ‘low energy’ shows have had him on fizzy water shortlists in the past. While this year’s offering is no wild departure from orthodoxy, it is still a mighty clever, mighty funny slice of silly semi-musical comedy. Loosely - very loosely - based on the story of O’Doherty’s entry into stand-up, the show segues deftly from straight delivery to theatrical set-pieces to musical numbers, among which there is not a single dud. The droll Dubliner has as much of a knack for creating tiny, bathetic earworms on charity-shop synthesizers as for reeling off wry but open-hearted situational absurdities.

O’Doherty’s phlegmatic mien works well in the main, though at times his persona is so unadorned as to fall short, just a smidgen, of the high standards set by his own frequently outstanding material. Small cavils, though, for an act that is a guiltless musical and comedic pleasure. (Sam Healy)

Assembly Rooms, 226 2428, until 28 Aug, 10pm, £11-£12 (£10-£11).