After we sat, ushers bullied whole rows forward to fit more people in, until we were squeezed so tight our legs are jammed against backs.

Surely dangerous, because there's no aisle left to escape along. They also cut Hughes's set so the Caesar Twins circus act could start on time.

Sean Hughes returned to stand-up at the age of 40, after a decade in TV.

He's a different beast to the lonely Morrissey fan who won the Perrier - this Hughes is more mainstream, less PC and nasty at times.

He's funny, yet rarely strays from the comedian's meat'n'veg and he's best when off-piste, harrassing people going to the loo.

But there's an extraordinary show in here somewhere, struggling to get out.

Two years ago, Hughes almost drowned in the Asian tsunami. His material on this is the highlight and he retains the moral authority of the eyewitness.

Sadly, just as the average gig hints at brilliance, Udderbelly shuts it down. How frustrating.