I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue, Royal Concert Hall

Arriving at the Concert Hall for this sell-out event, our hearts were lifted by the sight of a kazoo carefully placed on each seat in the auditorium.

How would it compare with last year, when we still had "Humph" in the chair, now replaced by the solemn Jack Dee?

Something of a curate's egg, in truth.

Yes, there were moments of inspired nonsense, and some of the gags were just as funny as last time around.

And there lay the rub.

They were pretty much the same gags as last time around.

Of course, you wonder how much of an evening like this is scripted, and, I guess, on a tour around the UK it would be impossible to do a wholly new show every night.

But it seemed the whole of the introduction about Nottingham from Jack Dee and much of the warm-up from producer Jon Naismith were lifted from this time last year.

And worse still, Jack appeared to be reading directly from Humphrey Lyttelton's previous script.

When he deviated from the written word he was comfortable, but joining this antidote to panel games must surely go against the grain.

Despite the baffling "repeat" situation, we warmly welcome on stage Barry Cryer, Graeme Garden and Tim Brooke-Taylor, along with the new regular, Jeremy Hardy. Colin Sell provides piano accompaniment.

Sadly, there was no sign of Samantha, who would have been Jack's delectable assistant. She was waylaid at home, organising new insulation with a team of hunky workmen. She sent a note to the team: "I'm looking forward to getting felt laid in the loft", she wrote.

It's not often you can marvel at Tim Brooke-Taylor duetting with Kaiser Chiefs, - or 2,000 people joining a kazoo version of Bohemian Rhapsody.

Great fun – but we could have done without the repeat.

Best Of British Variety Tour, Royal Concert Hall

I never imagined I'd spontaneously applaud a Tom O'Connor gag.

But there's a first time for everything and this ageing comic finally won me over.

You can't help but warm to him as he introduces some very well-known faces and one or two quite well-known jokes.

He held the show together and hit the mark with an audience that was probably a little over retirement age. No surprise really, when the average age of the turns was nudging 70.

First up was good old Norman Collier, allegedly 83. Yes, he does the chicken routine, and yes, he still does that microphone thing too.

But he got some of the biggest laughs of the night for his jokes, and rightly so. Probably on first so he can get tucked up with some cocoa. It was a three-hour show so staying on until later might have been too much.

Did you enjoy a bit of Nookie a few years back? We had our share last night but it was over rather too quickly. Roger de Courcey's ironic opening gambit is "for those who've never seen me before...". His cheeky little bear made a ten minute appearance at the end of his amusing ramble of a set.

Anyone who was expecting to see Buck's Fizz might have been disappointed. There was only Bobby from the line-up that conquered Europe, plus three others. Nice karaoke to end part one.

As for Faith Brown, she always was a bit of an oddball. She did a good Susan Boyle but the rest of her act was on another planet...

And so to the star turns, a completely bald Tommy and truly little Bobby, with a rather impressive paunch.

The boys ran through the comedy that made them famous. And it did go down very well, the interaction with the fans at the front showing they've still got what it takes.

The Grass Is Greener, Theatre Royal

Billed as a battle of the sexes this was more a battle of wits between a middle aged wife with 20 years of marriage behind her, whose head is turned by a visiting American millionaire, and her doting husband who can't live without her – despite what he says!

The wife, Liza Goddard, is Hilary, the lady of the manor, with her husband Victor (former Dynasty star Christopher Cazenove) ruing the day he ever opened their stately home to the public.

Their life together is turned upside-down by the dashing – and calculating –tourist Charles, played by Jack Ellis, who audiences may know from Bad Girls and Prime Suspect.

The excruciating tension in the first couple of scenes is uncomfortable to say the least, with the perfectly-timed silences saying more than any dialogue could manage.

While Victor tries to sort out his wife's dilemma over leaving him for the passion of Charles over love for her husband in a most English way, the American banks on the whirlwind romance and a new life for Hilary winning the day.

The comedy is 53 years old but every one of the sentiments holds true today. Without spoiling the ending it's fair to say that after four days with the American, Hilary gets her chance to find out if the grass really is greener – but does she take it?

Superb comedy lines are delivered by Sophie Ward as Hilary's old friend (and Victor's old flame) Hattie, and by the butler, Sellars (Jack Fagan). But the butlers always play it for laughs, don't they?