Just for Laughs just keeps getting better. A surefire mainstay of the Bermuda cultural calendar, this year's offering seems to offer an amazing consistency of quality from some of North American and Britain's finest comics, supported by some wonderful home grown talent.

The opening night at the traditional venue of the Southampton Princess's Mid-Ocean Amphitheatre was improved with a comedy club style seating with table service which takes the stress out of fetching drinks.

And the opening acts, both Bermudian based, were no make-weights. Bermudian Jonathan Young was typically edgey, thoughtful and most importantly funny. He was followed by Bermuda resident Michael Keats, appearing after beating three other people to win $1,000 and a spot on the bill – a feat he got a lot of comic mileage from.

Looking amazingly comfortable in front of hundreds of people Keats, who looks uncannily like an older version of Young, had some funny lines on the decidedly unfunny world of accountancy as well as a terrific take on how Bermuda was first discovered. English comic Matt Kirshen also had some wry observations on Bermuda's crime problem where swearing teenagers makes the papers.

Meanwhile back in England the population is apparently menaced by overweight youths or children waddling amok as he puts it. But his best moments were his take on Bermuda's transport system where GPS is needed for taxis while the busses survive on the old formula of driving either "towards" or "away".

American comic Tom Papas kept up the quality but upped the pace with an amazingly broad range of observations on everything from family life, getting drunk dates into cars, diabetic cats and old style barbers with fingers so obtuse they can't hold the scissors properly.

Second half show starter Arj Barker, who plays the grumpy guitar shop storeman on HBO's wonderful Flight of the Conchords, more than kept up the pace with a set which had a bit of everything.

Best of all was his flights of whimsy, including a roll-call of planets held by bossy Earth who cuts Pluto from the roster. Barker's tour de force included deconstructing his own jokes and the likely audience reaction. Sounds too clever? Nope, that worked too. Scottish comic Danny Bhoy ended the night with some wry observations on his homeland which now officially has the worst diet in the world which segued into a observation on breakfasts around the world as well as skits on bagpipes.

The show which never dipped in quality once was held together by Shaun Majumder and sent me away thoroughly satisfied but a little puzzled. Which was my favourite comic? Still working on that one – I will get back to you.