Miles Jupp ~ The Lowry Theatre, Salford

Another first (though hopefully not a last!) for you lucky people; stand up comedy! Yes, on Tuesday evening, I had the great pleasure of being privy to the latest stand up talents of Miles Jupp. Over the years, I have been fortunate to attend the live shows of several comedians, each one different, and each one highly enjoyable, from Peter Kay to Chris Addison, so this isn't my first comedy rodeo. This isn't even the first time I have seen Miles Jupp live. Whilst at university in Canterbury, I saw him during his last tour of the country in 2012, with his show Fibber in the Heat, essentially a continual narrative about the time the man in question blagged his way to India to watch the cricket, posing as a journalist. It might not sound like the makings of comedy gold, but I found it rather hilarious, thus I was eager to come back for more two years later, to see Miles Jupp deliver stand up in his own affably "posh", aloof, slightly manic, and  incredibly funny manner.

I am happy to report he did not disappoint. This time delivering what one might call "more traditional stand up", Miles Jupp kept the audience laughing for several hours, delivering witty observations and hilarious rants with lightning fast timing and ability.

He had the tendency to move very swiftly through his words and topics, with constant saturation of that incredibly upper class persona he has become known and loved for. Yet he knew just how to phrase, and just when to pause, and even occasionally when to go off cuff (such as a very amusing incident with a girl in the front row and her camera phone, and a microphone malfunction after the interval). He made no bones of the fact that he had built his career and reputation upon being a rather high society twit of comedy, and he displayed it to us in the Lowry with all guns blazing. However this was at no point a bad thing. For as each minute, and each laugh went on, Miles Jupp succeeded in my view, in ingratiating himself with his audience in a very witty yet warm way.

For me, I believe on both occasions, watching Miles Jupp did not present stand up in a failing-to-breathe, belly-aching way too much. Yet his humour is crisply intelligent, his expression perfect, and his humour-making mind spot on. The word "unique" is probably bandied about too much these days, but going to see Miles Jupp's stand up is truly unique, and one that I loved and would repeat again and again.