My experience of Mike Leigh before last night was limited to three films: 1993's Naked, Secrets And Lies and Abigail's Party.

Each one, particularly the dark and gritty Naked, had left an indelible mark on my brain and I was intrigued to know what made the man behind them tick.

Leigh captivated the 1,800-strong audience with the story of his childhood, growing up in Manchester and then moving to London for a place at RADA - not because he wanted to be an actor but because he wanted to find out how acting worked.

You could not help but warm to this unassuming man whose complex directorial brilliance could not be done justice in the short time he was on stage.

His infectious passion for his work is borne out in his films, working with each actor to bring emotion, depth and life to his characters.

Leigh does not suffer fools gladly and responses to questions from the audience brought the occasional sharp retort.

When one man said he was nodding to Leigh's answers, the director offered him a job in the back of his car. A job which many people sitting in the concert hall last night probably would have killed for.