JOHN LAWSON There's nothing like success and personal happiness for mellowing a person. So it was that the men in the audience swiftly relaxed and started enjoying the show after realising that they weren't about to be metaphorically castrated by the sort of tirades that epitomised the former Ms Brand.

JOHN LAWSON

There's nothing like success and personal happiness for mellowing a person.

So it was that the men in the audience at the Theatre Royal last night swiftly relaxed and started enjoying the show after realising that they weren't about to be metaphorically castrated by the sort of tirades that epitomised the former Ms Brand.

She's now contentedly married with an 11-month-old baby no less – domestic bliss which is mirrored in her spring tour schedule.

No more hammering her way round a different venue every night – the gruelling necessity of a comic hungry in every sense of the word. No, four nights a week will be plenty now thank you very much.

And while there was still a goodly sprinking of the “women's downstairs furniture” routines, as she termed them, she also spent plenty of time assessing the general human condition – and in particular the parochial nature of issues that concern rural society.

This included an assessment of some top stories from our own local papers and this journalist found them absolutely hysterical.

Earlier, Birmingham comic Andy Robinson had warmed up the crowd with his laconic delivery. He had his moments, but I think he is destined to remain hungrier than Ms Brand at least for a while longer.