Norwich Comedy Festival

Chapelfield Gardens, Norwich

The heavens opened but the weather did not dampen spirits at the last night of the Norwich Comedy Festival. The big top was packed out and the laughter must have been heard halfway across the city.

It was a great line-up that just improved as the night went on. Compere John Mann held the proceedings together as professionally as ever, his one-liners and amusing anecdotes keeping the hilarity going between the main acts.

Aussie Colin Cole was the first comedian to step up and, while he failed to command the crowd as well as his successors, some of his jokes hit the mark and he got the night off to a good start.

Funnyman Elis James, from Wales, built up more of a crescendo during his stint, leaving the audience weeping with laughter by the end.

But the prize for the night has to go to Terry Alderton, who had the 600-strong crowd in the palm of his hand from the moment he appeared. His Gollum-esque alter ego routine, surreal Fathers for Justice moments and controlled banter with the crowd left festival-goers wondering just why they don't see much more of him on their small screens.

Overall, the Comedy Festival was fabulous - let's have more of the same next year!