IF I see the curtains part to reveal an impressive set, I usually breathe a sigh of relief in the knowledge that equal care will have been lavished on the performances – and so it proved in this enjoyable production.

The garden of a suburban house looks so convincing in this comedy about the traumas and misunderstandings that take place around someone’s 40th birthday celebrations that I could well have believed it was genuine, and congratulations, too, to the lighting team for some pretty realistic night-time scenes.

Steve Watton’s direction ensures that the characters are played for real – so much so that when one of them sees his dreams dissolve before his eyes there was a palpable feeling of sympathy from the first-night audience.

Annie Robertson and Steve James are just right as Claire and Alan, in whose garden the neighbours gather, and there are lovely, detailed characterisations from BJ Miller (Sarah) and Jeremy Smith (Derek). Carole Willison is outstanding as Jill, partner of the obnoxious Dave (a slightly over-strident Pete Griffiths, who deserves a medal for having to shower himself in compost!)
Linda Kirkman