STICKING to tried and tested games, sadly too often this show fails to hit the mark with the majority of scenes feeling forced and stagnant.

The main problem was the lack of discipline on the part of the performers themselves with some of the sketches and situations continuing for far too long when the audience has long since lost interest. Humour falls regularly into the gutter in an attempt to get cheap laughs and the pantomime themed sing-a-long was particularly painful.

The funniest moment of all was when Suki Webster failed to remember where Copenhagen was, she rectified this with an amusing reference later in the show, but it gives you an insight into the quality of the material.

There are Merton moments of course where he delivers cutting blows and has the audience in stitches. He has earned a reputation for this astounding improv work through his appearances on Who’s Line Is It Anyway, Radio 4’s Just A Minute and residency on popular panel show Have I Got News for You.

Merton was also joined by fellow mainstays of the Comedy Store Players Richard Vranch, Michael McShane, and Suki Webster and guest Steve Steen. The star of the show is the audience and the cover of anonymity allows for some particularly weird and wonderful suggestions from which the Impro Chums draw inspiration from within seconds.

There is certainly an atmosphere of freedom but the Pavilion was just too large a venue for the show to work.