Stuart McPherson prefaces Crisps And A Lie Down by saying that he recently banged his head and may be concussed. Happily, he can probably dodge a visit to A&E on the strength of his performance in this, another of his superb ‘wordy, dense stand-up’ shows. Now in his 33rd year, he’s settled down happily with his girlfriend (fellow comedian Tamsyn Kelly) and their dog (whose mental health issues McPherson details sweetly). Recently, the phantom sound of pattering feet (and they’re not the dog’s) have been prompting this couple to consider the potential implications of starting a family. That dilemma is threaded throughout this smart hour, together with ruminations on his father’s communication skills, attempts to appease his girlfriend’s ADHD, and the sneaky way in which he suspects a right-wing newspaper has been recruiting fellow lefties to its cause.

Throughout, McPherson looks supremely comfortable on stage and he rattles through material with assured pace and great timing. He frames every story with sublime details, sets up punchlines with precision, and he paints a colourful picture during a section on the despondency of all-adult family Christmases. As the show comes to its denouement, he studiously drops in callbacks and it all builds to a charming conclusion.

Stuart McPherson: Crisps And A Lie Down, Monkey Barrel Cabaret Voltaire, until 24 August, 5.15pm; main picture: cursetheseeyes.