There is an early stand-out highlight in Mo Gilligan's show In The Moment when he notes how nothing can make you feel more British than travelling abroad. He has recently been touring the world so he speaks from experience. An encounter with an abrupt US customs official prompted him to exclaim the word "preposterous", like some latterday Phileas Fogg.
Airport security routines have become a trope for globetrotting gagsmiths, but the upbeat south Londoner brings something fresh to the party, acting out the argy bargy of the queuing process and effortlessly creating distinctive characters. In the same way he first broke through putting inspired mini-sketches on Instagram, he now includes inspired mini-sketches onstage.
And his success is clearly going global. An extended story – long but never outstaying its welcome – is about a Hollywood trip where he was flattered to be treated like a superstar. Was he being mistaken for Idris Elba? Mo Farah? And did he care if it meant being offered a prime table at an exclusive club?
Except that the VIP package came with a hefty price tag. Gilligan deliciously recounts how he expected his mates to opt for the budget bar next door, but instead they were soon tucking into champagne while the star counted the cost of every bubble. It is a testament to his everyman charisma that an anecdote about glitzy extravagance still comes across as relatable.
Elsewhere he glided through the gears like a fine-tuned Cadillac, constantly connecting with the crowd. A section about being single put a droll slant on his private life. Enjoy dating in your 20s, he advised the men in the audience. By the time you are in your 30syour creaky body will be aching too much to perform. Comedic embellishment perhaps, but the laughter was deafening.
Despite claims of imminent decrepitude, the 36-year-old appeared nimble, bouncing around as he talked about how genders behave differently at weddings and charting his "ick list" – the things men do that can instantly scupper a promising romance.
He was particularly sharp on relationship tips. Make sure you watch Netflix boxed sets together and woe betide the man who dares to go straight to the next episode if their partner dozes off. If the stand-up doesn't work maybe he could go into couples therapy. Not that there is much chance of him needing a career change.
It is no shock that Gilligan's fanbase keeps expanding. There is a universal quality to his observational humour that is enormously appealing. He is never edgy or political but he is a million miles cooler than Peter Kay. There is certainly nothing preposterous about his continued success.
