Martin Mor: Away Gallivanting

Some comedians spend half their time on stage trying to develop a rapport with the audience, convincing us that we're all good chums and that the whole show is just a framing device for some classic banter among mates. For Martin Mor, it's established from the moment he starts speaking and it feels reassuringly natural.

The veteran standup from Coleraine has a gregarious way with people that makes Graham Norton look a bit wooden, and it's the fulcrum of his act. Mor has done a lot of travelling over his many years in standup, and he's got a few stories to tell. His party piece is sharing anecdotes about his time in a country randomly suggested by the audience. You get the sense he could've kept it up for hours, such is his combination of intrepid traveller and gifted storyteller.

With his booming Northern Irish voice, tattoos, piercings and ZZ Top facial hair, subtlety in style or substance is not something Mor oes in search of with his material. Indeed, his unassailable self-confidence, along with his bold image, adds to his appeal. He's uncompromising in his role as neighbourly raconteur, ceaselessly spinning yarns and maintaining our interest throughout. Occasionally it becomes too bogged down in friendly feeling, more like a pal waxing lyrical in the pub than crafted standup, but perhaps that's his intention.

Whether it's his dangerous encounter with an audience member in Cape Town or the time he got more than he bargained for watching a peep show in Amsterdam, Mor is always on the cusp of another interesting tale.