Top-quality quips from Julian Clary

He might claim to feel old but some of his gags seemed ancient enough to warrant cameos on the Antiques Roadshow.

Yet somehow, despite the corny filth and a sweaty anxiousness that was surprising for the seasoned, sequined trouper, this was a hugely enjoyable romp of a comeback. 

The audience — gay, straight, young, old — loved Clary and it was easy to understand why.

Whether forgetting lines or recalling the notorious 1993 Norman Lamont joke that nearly scuppered his career, his fallibility was fetching.

And though some smutty single entendres one-liners creaked, there were also top-quality quips.

Reflecting on his boyfriend’s flaky-skinned eczema, he described life as "like living with a gecko".

While the well-preserved star never truly spilt the beans on his showbiz mates there was plenty of affectionately dirty gossip about his orange-faced Strictly Come Dancing chums.

Plus unprintable crowdpleasingly bitchy cracks about Simon Cowell, Christopher Biggins and his Kentish neighbour Paul O’Grady.

The second half found the top-hatted Clary transformed into an end-of-the-pier Derren Brown, plucking out fans for some mock-psychic flummery.

It felt ominously like a pitch for a game show but thanks to a pair of good sports, rounded things off wonderfully and marked a welcome return to very rude health. It was hard to see what he was anxious about.

Until Sunday. Information: 0844 847 2475. www.leicestersquaretheatre.com

Julian Clary: Lord Of The Mince
Leicester Square Theatre
Leicester Place, WC2H 7BX