This event tested a new stand-up format.

Comics took it in turns on the stage then, when those waiting on the sidelines got fed up or thought they could come in with a good joke on a linked subject, they "tagged" the speaker and took hold of the mic.

The idea was that this would create a stand-up show with a single stream of consciousness running through it, performed by four different people.

It was an exceptional success. The audience could barely control its laughter from the first word to the last.

Comics Russel Howard, Milton Jones, Ben Norris and Stephen Grant comfortably fed on each other's energy and got even better as the show went on.

They also sparked a fire in the audience, who bantered throughout and by the end were arguing in the toilets about which was the best act.

There was no time to tire of a routine - joke after joke was fired, leaving the audience occasionally laughing at four punchlines at once while trying to keep up with the fast pace.

Sometimes a comic was brought off when someone else had a good story.

Sometimes he was left flailing with an anecdote which had breathed its last, to more laughter from the crowd.

For fans of proper joke and storytelling, this was a brilliant gig.

It gave the acts a chance to show off how quickly they could think on their feet and respond to an audience.

This is a format for experienced, talented, quickthinking comics with an abundance of funny material.

They were.