VETERAN theatre critic Marion Cox found herself at the receiving end of comedian Gina Yashere’s wit when she spotted her making notes during Dorchester Festival’s comedy night.

Grabbing the notes, the keen-eyed comic demanded: “Why are you writing down my jokes – are you a standup? What is your name?”

“I’m a theatre reviewer,” Mrs Cox gulped in reply, to the audience at Charlton Down’s Herrison Hall. “I’d rather be doing Shakespeare!”

Gina, a comedy sensation in the US where they love her cheeky English observations, told Mrs Cox she would be back to see her if the write-up was not up to scratch.

Festival artistic director Sharon Hayden, pictured with Gina after the show, said the audience had loved it.

“Gina is still jet lagged from her flight over from LA but managed to give us nearly two hours of wonderful standup – she’s taken the mickey out of all of us in her own charming way – and we love her.”

Editor’s Note: From details sent in by Alastair Nisbet.

I’d rather like to see Marion Cox doing stand-up. She’d have some stories to tell. I think she could be good. Maybe next year…