I was prompted to think about Simon Amstell's show last night when the news was full of obsequious guff about the new royal baby. Amstell's routine on royalty cuts through the absurdity of modern regal pomp like the little boy seeing the emperor and saying he is naked. "In England we have a queen. Not in the past. Right now." If you've missed him on tour I'm sure this will be on DVD at some point. You can, however, see my favourite line from one of my favourite comedians in this clip here. A version of the review below first appeared in the Evening Standard in March.

For some comedians stand-up is entertainment. For Simon Amstell it is more like therapy. In To Be Free he pushes public self-analysis to the limit. Go elsewhere for gripes about self-service checkouts or Jeremy Clarkson. This is all about one skinny man’s search for spiritual contentment.

To the outside world the former TV presenter appears fulfilled. But something always gets in the way of his happiness. At one point he recalls being pleased at having completed a film script – autobiographical, naturally – only to feel decidedly trumped when his chum Russell Brand decides to start a world revolution.

This idea of always missing out is a motif in this exquisitely neurotic set, delivered with a pleasing mix of haughtiness and self-mockery. Amstell regrets turning down the chance of sleeping with pop stars when he was an interviewer, justifying it at the time by saying “Paxman would not sleep with Blair”.

Hindsight is wonderful though. He now realises that his neediness is rooted in his parents’ divorce. Life, it seems, has been one long quest for the love he lost out on. Luckily for us, Amstell's perfectly poised misery make this a hilarious show.

Simon Amstell is at Regents Park Open Air Theatre on June 28. Tickets here.