Comedy of the week: Steve Hughes, various venues

Conspiratorial glare: Steve Hughes sets off on the scent of social and political scheming on his latest tour, While It's Still Legal

Wielding a far bigger stick than he ever did in his days as a heavy-metal drummer, Steve Hughes sets off on the scent of social and political scheming on his latest tour, While It's Still Legal.

And if the piercing Aussie was feeling paranoid before, how about now, in the wake of the Prism affair and the attendant subterfuge?

Even when he slips into observational mode, he delivers his punchlines with a conspiratorial glare, as if what he's just said about farts, or sex, has some darker meaning – if only you'd care to look for it, you witless lunk.

Slade Rooms, Wolverhampton (0870 320 7000; wolvescivic.co.uk) Thursday; Lowry, Salford (0843 208 6000; thelowry.com) Friday