"They're behind you!"

I used to love pantomimes: smutty jokes, men wearing dresses and singalongs – who could ask for anything more? Well, you could ask for four politicians shouting at each other on a stage. And that's exactly what a couple of thousand theatregoers got earlier today during the recording of the BBC's final (oh yes it is) Scottish leaders' debate at the Festival Theatre in Edinburgh.

Getting into the panto mood John Boothman (known as Boothperson to those in the know), BBC Scotland's political chief, patiently explained to the audience that there were two sorts of applause at Auntie: polite and enthusiastic. The audience proceeded to rehearse both. We were also helpfully taken through telling our right from our left (oh yes we were).

Then the celebrity presenter bounded on to stage. "Say hi to Glenn everybody!" We clapped, but pointedly did not say "hi". "Are you all right?" asked Glenn Campbell. "Are you sure you're all right?" Then, as someone attached a radio mic to his back trouser pocket, a wag in the audience couldn't resist shouting: "He's behind you!"

Oh, how we laughed. And clapped, as the Lib Dems' Alistair Carmichael walked onto stage; booed, as Alex Salmond swaggered in pursuit; jeered, as David Mundell bustled behind him; and applauded, loudly, as Jim Murphy completed the quartet. Yes folks, the audience was politically neutral, and therefore baying for blood.  

"Actually, this is a bit like a pantomime," remarked Glenn at one point. "So which of you is the pantomime dame?" he asked, turning to the four politicians. The audience tittered. Then Salmond, rather uncharitably, gesticulated towards the shadow Scottish Secretary, David Mundell. The audience tittered some more. "Or which end of the horse?" quipped Jim Murphy, not wanting to miss out on a good line.

There was, of course, audience participation, when that nice Mr Campbell asked us if we thought any of the parties had been honest about future ticket prices (or public spending cuts in the real world). And when Murphy refused to let Mundell respond to a lengthy attack, Glenn asked if we wanted to hear his answer. "Yes!" we roared.

Things then got a little surreal. "Question from the man in the red cuff," declared Glenn, gesticulating feverishly. Then, when Murphy forgot his lines during a grilling about expenses, a punter in the dress circle yelled, helpfully, "your pants are on fire". "Ooh" and "aah", cooed the people in the cheap seats. This was clearly the best evening's entertainment they'd had since the last edition of Britain's Got Talent.

SECTION BY SECTION

• Jim Murphy at centre of angry exchanges on expenses
• Alex Salmond faces resettlement grant criticism
• SNP 'will not go into coalition', leaders' debate told
• Row over tax paid by low earners
• Tories and SNP clash over Trident

IN DETAIL

• ANALYSIS: David Torrance on who came out ahead