Tim Minchin, Memorial Hall

Thing is, I do have some pot plants, but there was no cause for them to feel alarmed. I soon warmed to musical comic Tim Minchin.

His appearance - sporting eyeshadow and a semi-deranged grin, with long hair that looked as though he had recently suffered an electric shock - was enough to make me laugh before he had even said a word.

Although Minchin is not new to the stand-up circuit, having won best newcomer at the 2005 Perrier Awards, he did seem a little awkward while on the mic at this Grin Up North comedy festival fixture.

But what makes him stand out is that most of his act is based around a collection of side-splitting songs rather than simply standing at the front of the stage stand-up style.

"I rock," he proclaimed, after sitting down at a grand piano in the centre of the stage. Then, with angelic voice, he sang about topics ranging from blow-up dolls to God and even plastic bags.

In one of his songs Minchin told how he wanted to be a rock 'n' roll star but was too much of a geek and did not have enough angst. Never mind mate, you can certainly make people laugh.

Richard Marsden