RICH Hall has been hailed as a transatlantic messenger lampooning each country he visits with his common sense comedy.

But the American the stand-up, who was the inspiration for the curmudgeonly barman Moe Szyslak in The Simpsons, has a soft spot for the UK.

“I may have become overly familiar with the motorway service stations of the UK, but I really like discovering new places,” said the comic who will bring his new tour 3:10 to Humour to the Wyvern Theatre on April 29. “It’s important to visit out of the way towns because it gives you a new perspective.”

One of the many aspects that distinguishes his live act is the way he can craft on-the-spot songs out of the smallest items of information that he gleans from the audience.

“I do what Americans call ‘crowd work’. I really enjoy that because I can turn it into improvised songs, which is a big thrill for me. I always have a guitar beside me on stage in case something happens.

“It’s funny, the less I get from people, the more you can improvise. Nothing is out of bounds. I want them to tell me, ‘I’m a clerk,’ rather than, ‘I work for the council finance department and am involved in the end of year expenditure’. As soon as I hear the word ‘clerk’, my head immediately starts formulating rhymes for it.”

Unlike his more polite countrymen, us Brits have given him a hard time or just plain insulted him. That honesty never fails to amaze and delight the comic.

“Brits like to insult you. Sometimes they come to the stage door after the show and say, ‘We really prefer Lee Mack.’ They don’t even say, ‘We really enjoyed your show – you’re our second favourite behind Lee Mack’! But I know the subtext – they must quite like me if they have waited in line to insult me!”

Rich Hall will be at the Wyvern Theatre on Wednesday, April 29 at 8pm.

Tickets are £17.

To book call 01793 524481 or visit swindontheatres.co.uk.