Milton Jones: Milton Impossible, York Barbican, Saturday

MOCK The Week regular Milton Jones took on the guise of an MI5 spy for an evening of eccentric, espionage-themed comedy at a packed Barbican in York.

Attire wise, the popular comedian, known equally for his sticky-out hair and surreal one-liners, was more Austin Powers than James Bond, wearing a bright camouflage-print two-piece suit with a flamboyant pink shirt with ruffles.

He displayed his versatility as a comic actor in the warm-up, playing his “grandfather”, complete with dressing gown, flat cap, and trampoline (go figure!) and white projection screen behind him. It was a highlight of the show, “gramps” translating a series of well-known road signs into Milton Jones-speak, so that the red triangle showing two OAP figures with a walking stick became: “How do we get out of this tent?”.

The other warm-up act was young comedian Tom Houghton, a self-confessed “posh boy” who lives in the Tower of London on account of his father being former Army big cheese General John Nicholas Reynolds Houghton, now Constable of the Tower of London. Houghton has a boyish, relaxed, likeable charm and don’t be surprised if you see and hear more of him.

As for Jones, relying on one-liners to fuel 75 minutes of comedy sounds like mission impossible. But not for Milton. With his perfect sense of timing and deadpan delivery it was mission accomplished.