Legendary comedian Steve Martin did his first stand up set in over 30 years last night in New York.

The white-haired 70-year-old was the surprise guest act at the Beacon Theatre on the second night of Jerry Seinfeld's current run there.

It is thought that Martin may have decided to dust off his stand-up muscles after chatting to Seinfeld about comedy when he appeared on his online series, Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee.

In the last few years he has frequently appeared live and toured but has confined himself to playing the banjo onstage.

It was only a tantalising ten-minute set, but critics have said that Martin was as funny as ever. The Guardian called his appearance "a real treat" and quoted one of his jokes: “I was backstage and I used the restroom, and there was a sign that said ‘Employees must wash hands’. And I could not find one employee that would wash my hands.”