Perhaps it’s an EU directive, but there seems to be small groundswell of German comics, both real and fictional, arriving onto the British circuit.

Peter von Natzmer is one of the better ones, and although he starts with the obvious promise of some "proper, efficient comedy" this is no broad national stereotype. But, of course, he will always have that aspect to fall back on to when he needs to.

Instead he more often plays the outsider card, observing British foibles from the point of view of a baffled foreigner and tackling topics like the teaching of English as a foreign language.

It’s sterling stuff, delivered with an impressive larger-than-life energy. The only problem is that this early in his career there’s not enough of this distinctive material to fill even the short sets he’s doing – and we eventually find ourselves in the familiar world of gags about Stephen Hawking and Scallies. Anyone could tell us these.