COMEDY: GIG OF THE WEEK

Ed Byrne tonight Embassy Rooms, London W1

The comedy circuit is overflowing with Irish stand-ups who major in amiable, sometimes rambling story-telling rather than gag-a-minute "have you heard the one about?" humour - think of Dylan Moran, Tommy Tiernan or Owen O'Neill. One of the best of this new breed of Irish comedians is Ed Byrne, currently embarking on a huge national tour under the title of "On the Road". In a previous show, he spun an hour's material out of an anecdote about going to the opera with his girlfriend - that takes some doing. By way of introduction to his new show, he outlines that as an Irishman he's "been travelling the world apologising for Riverdance. The reason it tours the world is because it was asked to leave Ireland."

Embassy Rooms, London W1 (0171-771 2000) tonight

James Rampton