"LET'S hear it for the beer! All hail for the ale!" opened Al Murray - The Pub Landlord - to his Courtyard audience's appreciation last Wednesday evening.

A stand-up who relies heavily on audience input, Murray begins his routine by asking people their names and profession.

The first three people he picked on were either unemployed, students or on holiday and a lesser man might have stalled in his banter...

"I guess if the Welsh do try and invade, you'll all be available!" he retorted, which - inevitably - the crowd loved.

Truly topical - the recent Prince Charles scandal, Iraq, David Blane all took a hit - but the one-man-warfare who likes to rekindle a little bit of what made Britain great, couldn't resist a few pops at his standard favourites: the French, asylum seekers and a woman's place in society.

You can't knock the intelligence of the man - you may be scared by how much applause his views receive.

Julie Harries