Ed Byrne, If I’m Honest, York Barbican

HONESTY should be in the job description of any comedian.

After all, comedy is at its best when it is observational – a hefty dose of navel gazing is an essential skill.

Ed Byrne is a master of this, and increasingly so since he became a dad in his 40s and began using family life in his act.

If I’m Honest is a continuation of where Ed left off with his last tour two years ago, Spoiler Alert, which took him to the rather surreal venue of Selby Abbey.

Last night, the venue was York Barbican – and unlike recent sell-out comedy gigs at the place, it was half-full, which Byrne commented on.

So where were all York’s comedy fans? Who knows, but they missed a great night.

Byrne is energetic and hugely likeable. His self-deprecating humour, delivered in his super-fast Dublin accent, is infectious. And it was the perfect tonic for anyone nursing an election hangover (literal or metaphorical).

Strangely, Byrne didn’t mention the election at all, sticking strictly to his script.

And speaking of the ‘S’ word, he revealed he’d been asked to appear on the BBC dance show but turned it down. Why? Because he didn’t trust himself with the dancers. This was much to the dismay of his family who are all big fans of the show.

Wearing a red, sparkly jacket, Byrne quipped how he was dressed for Strictly – or maybe a magic act.

Comedy magic, I’d say.