Versatile comic all-rounder Sean Hughes returns to his first love of stand-up with his latest show at Vicar Street on Saturday the 27th of October.

Although he’s been away from the stand up scene for some eight years, he hasn’t exactly been resting on his laurels. With TV appearances in The Last Detective and Never Mind the Buzzcocks, his own show on Channel Four and even a stint on the West End stage in a serious role – not to mention two critically-acclaimed novels under his belt – it’s not surprising that he’s had little time for stand up. But now he’s back and in fine form on his home turf.

Behind Sean’s crumpled, hangdog looks and laconic delivery lies a surprisingly acerbic wit that veers effortlessly from the sublime through the surreal to the ridiculous, with plenty of audience interaction thrown in to spice up the mix. A real veteran of the comedy scene (having been the youngest ever winner of the coveted Perrier Award), stand up is obviously Sean’s natural medium, and his innate confidence on stage gives his material a laid-back spontaneity that can’t fail to impress.

Age hasn’t mellowed Sean one bit: in fact, if anything it’s lent a slightly darker tinge to his act as he bemoans his lot as a still-unmarried fortysomething with a self-deprecating honesty that’s at times almost touching while remaining consistently hilarious. That’s not to say his show is entirely self-absorbed, however – he retains his sharp eye for topical gags as well, sending up the absurdities of modern life with some perfectly-crafted one-liners.

In his own words: “I used to work in a subliminal message tape factory. We were only paid £2 an hour but no one seemed to mind…”

If you want to see a comedy great at the height of his powers, check out Sean Hughes this Saturday at Vicar Street.