Max Miller? Who could forget him? No one in Brighton, that’s for sure. But just in case, there is a society which exists to keep the memory of the ultimate cheeky chappie alive and well.

Their annual convention rounds off with a proper variety show at Komedia and if imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, John Ripley does a mean Max Miller, complete with a suit made from Sanderson floral curtains and the best line in stand-up patter since the original dominated the Hippodrome. 

Accompanying acts included the Savoy Kicks dancers, Helen Ward Jackson and mind-reader, face-taped Paul Newton (don’t ask). Elsie Crumpet was obscenely comical as a weightily challenged char on a dating quest involving brave souls from the audience. But “Max” stole the show with rhyming monologues, parlour songs which wouldn’t have been sung around the piano, and anecdotes which relied on his skill and our imagination.

Most modern comedians don’t come near him, even if he was their inspiration. Not surprisingly, patrons of the Max Miller Appreciation Society are Roy Hudd and Ken Dodd, and the long list of supporters includes Bruce Forsyth, Paul Merton and Ian McKellen. Now, there’s a funny thing...