By George Tew

Farces are not often performed these days, and the sophisticated theatre goer might look down on these dated, daft tales of vicars' trousers falling down and lovers jumping in and out of wardrobes.

Rookery Nook, Ben Travers plays of 1926, is a classic example of the genre, and one that will surely make even the most sober of Chekhov aficionados smile. It more than makes up for the absence of vicars with a ridiculous, disciplined German and a lecherous retired Admiral, and is imbued with an exuberant, infectious spirit of innocently naughty fun.

Jane Murphy as Rhoda Marley

The premise of the plot is very simple: late one evening, a young woman, Rhoda, bursts in on the newly married Gerald Popkiss, who is spending the night on his own while his wife looks after her poorly mother. Wearing just a pair of pyjamas, she has run away from her stern step-father, and requires sanctuary. Gerald gallantly gives her a room for the night, but the following day must hide the young girl from his wife, his battle-axe of a sister in law, and the disapproving daily help. Cue much running up and down of stairs, stealing of clothes, mistaking of identities and so on.

Some of the characters - notably the German, the Admiral and the stuttering, hen-pecked husband of the formidable sister-in-law - are fantastically exaggerated caricatures, hilariously portrayed. The cast handle the visual comedy with perfect timing and brio, and they relish the script's wealth of double entendres, wordplay and one-liners. The audience were in stitches throughout, especially in the final act.

With a seaside postcard sauciness and the sort of plot, characters and comic devices that would later be inherited by Fawlty Towers, this is a typically British comedy - slightly naughty, very silly, and extremely enjoyable.

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