What do you do when you are a taboo-busting comedian who has already busted all the taboos? That was the problem with American maverick Doug Stanhope last night. That plus the fact that he was getting over both serious man-flu and being heckled at the Leeds Festival at the weekend meant that this was not his finest hour.

Despite these setbacks, a lacklustre performance by Stanhope trounces most US contemporaries. He is such a consummate craftsman that even his pauses to cough were immaculately timed. When doing hack material about ubiquitous cameraphones at gigs (“I’m here but I’d rather enjoy it on my laptop later”) he effortlessly reached comical boiling point.

Although the momentum fluctuated there were still frequent spikes, from his persuasive argument for abortion keeping carbon footprints down to his pithy angle on Susan Boyle, likening her uncomfortable TV appearances to King Kong being put on stage.

There may, however, have been another reason for Stanhope’s confidence crisis. He confessed that he was currently happy — never a good move for a serial curmudgeon. Some Tamiflu and a relationship break-up and he’ll be back on top again.
Until Sunday (0844 847 2475, www.leicestersquaretheatre.com).