What with the death of Humphrey Lyttelton (co no more series of Gavin and Stacy, and now this, a farewell tour from French and Saunders, it's not been a great week, comedy wise.

OK, they have been working together for 30 years and been on TV pretty constantly for 20 of those, and younger performers are snapping at their heels. But it's just sooo not funny that we may never see them live again.

If anything bore that out, it was last night's performance to a Hippodrome packed to the rafters.

No room even for a gnat with good connections.

Wearing sexless black trousers up to their armpits, a sort of Andy Pandy meets Laurel and Hardy outfit, and using minimal props, these icons of British comedy effortlessly held the theatre with a succession of sketches and videos, using every trick in the book from wheedling psychology and sly slapstick to bellowing bullying and poignant pathos.

This tour is a celebration of their great timing, acting and observation. The girls (for they don't seem to have aged) concentrate on some favourites, like Dawn as Catherine Zeta Jones (now part of the Spartacus dynasty'), Jennifer as Madonna, teenage sex education at the bus stop, and the F&S take on Strictly Come dancing.

Maybe it's safe' stuff, but it's hilarious.

The show continues until Wednesday and extra tickets have been released.

What better way to say goodbye than to send people home smiling and happy.

As for me, well, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry...