Barry Cryer still going strong at 72....or was it Barry Took?

Tonight at the Newbury Comedy Festival I saw Barry Cryer. Although a few of his jokes had a mustiness resonant of the musical hall, the man was a triumph and had the audience, including me, in stitches throughout.

He must have told about 300 jokes in about 90 minutes. For someone aged 72, that is remarkable.

He repeated a line which Kenny Everett said to him: "Baz! You have been married 30 years and you have four children! Wow! What a smokescreen!"

Before the opening, the theatre stewards asked for the audience to write down questions for the great man. As I left work I told someone I was going to see Barry Cryer to which they replied: "Isn't he dead?" So the question I wrote down was "Why do people think you are dead? Is it because they confuse you with Barry Took?"

It got a laugh, and as with all the questions he drew out of the hat, he was able to recount a very funny anecdote on the subject. In this case it was about Princess Anne and the late Barry Took and Barry Cryer getting mixed up in introductions to her. It involved a word beginning with "b" and was hilarious. I wouldn't do it justice if I tried to write it down.

Barry Cryer's take on politicians is relevant to this forum:

"Politicians are like nappies. They should be changed frequently.....and for the same reason."