Gig review by Steve Bennett at The Hobgoblin

Steve N Allen faces the same challenge of anyone doing topical comedy: how to compete with the stream of instant gags and funny pictures that fill up most social media timelines.

And the short answer is, he can't. The finale of Some News is him showing us a Google Maps satellite picture of a church that looks like a penis, which has long done the viral rounds – and was widely covered in the media back in November. It's hard to see what he's adding to an old story.

His hour is built on repeating similarly bizarre stories like 'Man sells his left testicle for a new car' or the UKIP man blaming gay marriage for the floods, then offering a slightly sarcastic comment on it. This is the stuff of local radio the nation over.

There may be good reason for that, as Allen's other career is in commercial radio – currently at Time FM in Essex. As he proves in an amusing introduction to himself, he certainly has the cheesy baritone voice required.

More serious stories get a look-in, too - but not in any depth. He gives Ukraine 30 seconds, only to compare the locals braving the Russian Army to get to work with Britons who'd cry off because of a couple of flakes of snow.

Sometimes news stories provide jumping-off points for more general stand-up routines, about doing a speed-awareness course or plastic surgery, for instance. Like the topical pieces, the tone is mildly amusing with the occasional strong gag. But occasional isn't often enough.

And because Allen does not have a particularly strong point of view on anything beyond the broad consensus, the hour seems too light on attitude as well as content. There's nothing to surprise here, however professionally it's presented.

Review date: 5 May 2014
Reviewed by: Steve Bennett
Reviewed at: Brighton Hobgoblin