Michael McIntyre is at that odd fame-stage where people recognise him but do not know why, which can lead to awkward encounters. As he recalls in his vibrant current show, he suggested to one perplexed passer-by that maybe they had seen him on last year's Royal Variety Performance.

Embarrassingly, they then realised that the baby-faced stand-up was familiar because they had attended the same school.

It cannot be long though before this posh comic who makes Prince William seem common as muck is a household name. His Soho run might be in a small room, but industry buzz and an impressive appearance on Have I Got News For You have led to a return booking next month.

McIntyre might not have the credibility of Perrier winner Daniel Kitson or the end-of-pier appeal of Peter Kay, but like them, he is a natural-born storyteller.

On Saturday the floppy-fringed funster was blessed with a crowd that provided him with comedy gold in the banter department. A quirky front row giggle prompted thoughts on strange sounds he has heard such as the "snot-sneeze-laugh-snort".

His chat to an engaged couple eased the path from seamless ad libs into a well-honed routine about his own costly nuptials: "I had the ring engraved ...with the price."

This might be run-of-the-mill observational wit, but it is employed with such breezy skill that it would be churlish to deduct any stars. And to his credit his suicide bomber riff does have a relatively different take on it. We are always warned to look out for unattended luggage, but it is the attended rucksacks we should be nervous about nowadays.

It says something about his ability to go with the flow that he did not even get to do his opening salvo about phone etiquette until he returned for his well-deserved encore.

If you want comedy to solve the Riddle of the Sphinx look elsewhere, but for simple gagsmithery combined with sublime improv McIntyre is hard to beat.

• 9-12 May. Information: 0870 429 6883.