Ever-confident Joe K is an expert comedy technician. Every pause is perfect, every phrase given just the right emphasis. But for all his storytelling skill, and ability to maintain a comic momentum, his set just doesn’t seem all that funny.

The bottom line is that his big performance, full of mugging and gurning and the occasional comedy African accent, is no substitute for punchlines.

For about half his set, he draws quite heavily on the fact he’s black, but very superficially, as if his skin colour inherently made him a fascinating curiosity for the predominantly white audience. But it’s what you say that makes you fascinating and that’s where Joe falls short.

Too often long build-up lead nowhere, such as the mirthless idea of asking a McDonald’s manager where the nearest KFC is, which he strings out for a good three minutes. The midget on the train is his only anecdote that really works, making the most of this slightly silly incident with deft storytelling skill. But for the most part, he lacks focus.