'It's not a set up,' comedian Stephen K Amos promised as he picked out local funny man Josh Ryan in the audience at his Norwich Playhouse Bouquets and Brickbats gig on Monday night.

But it was Ryan who stole the show as he was hauled up on stage to showcase a minute of his set at the end of the show, to rapturous applause at his jokes poking fun at Norfolk and Suffolk.

The young comedian had been the target of Amos' brilliant ad-lib jibes, along with his wealth manager father, throughout the show, along with other unsuspecting audience members.

And through Amos had the crowd in tears, from swipes at Great Yarmouth - the adjective is misplaced, he felt - to pointing out Norwich's love affair with one way systems.

Amos' return to the stage was welcome for those who had missed his presence on television as of late. And the reason was revealed - Amos had lost both his mother and twin sister in the last 18 months, prompting a collection at the end of the laughs for a hospice and hospital charity, to which the good people of Norfolk seemed to give generously.

But the gig was not morose - Amos touched on his upbringing, the current state of world affairs, all while keeping the crowd gripped to his every word, reaction, or cough from an onlooker which came just at the right time to tip the audience into hysteria.

Supported by Peter Brush, who played on his resemblance to a stereotypical IT worker to warm the crowd up, Amos had a true connection with the crowd who lapped up gag after gag.

However it was a perfect touch that after giving Josh Ryan and his father enough stick, Amos invited him up at the end to give it a go.

Ryan has already been touring for three years, but as Amos said it could have gone one of two ways.

As it was it ended up as the ideal ending to the show - a real local boy done good tale to top off a hilarious evening of comedy.