Compere in Comedy Heaven was perhaps not the job that Arthur Smith expected when he went into stand-up more than a century ago. Or thereabouts, writes Alex Dawson.

Nevertheless he did very well with this solid rather than spectacular evening of comedy.

He linked up the six other acts with good jokes, a bit of poetry and – perhaps most surprisingly – a couple of songs.

Arthur's still got it. Which is nice.

The rest of the cast, well – they were more of a mixed bag.

Jonathon Mayor, camp, northern and "beige" was a cheerful start, and got big laughs playing with a "right on", mainly white, Leicester audience.

I'm less sure about Vikki Stone. She's a talented pianist, fine singer, engaging presence – but, for my money, not yet funny enough.

The first half finished with Canadian-born Londoner Jason John Whitehead, whose mischievous observations included this Olympics one: "There's going to be people running through east London with medals who aren't even athletes".

Nineteen-year-old Ben Hustwayte opened the second half with some smilingly-funny observations of the "why don't the French have their own word for croissants" variety.

Then came one of our own – weedy, nerdy Chris Stokes has been living in Leicester for 18 months.

For me, he was the highlight; funny stories on the rich soil of being bullied, being geeky and being virtually friendless.

The cheer for Barbara Nice (the northern housewife creation of Janice Connolly) indicates that others preferred her. Frankly, her Maplins-esque audience participation routines leave me cold.