RAY Cooney’s farce about a London cabbie whose double life unravels when he is hit over the head by a handbag is just the ticket for a summer evening’s entertainment.

Pat Jones’ highly enjoyable production had many laugh-out-loud moments, many of them occasioned by Brian Travers’ glorious performance, in the tightest trousers I have ever seen, as gay dress designer Bobby Franklyn. Suffice to say that I shall never think of red paint in the same way again.

There were moments during the evening when the fast and furious pace slipped slightly, but for the rest of the time the show romped along with absolutely cracking performances all round. Tony Bailey was beautifully bemused as the bigamous John Smith, whose “help” from neighbour Stanley Gardner (Stewart Jones in excellent form) makes his situation far, far worse.

Both Katharine Bailey and Victoria Jones were superb as John’s wives Mary and Barbara, and both Tony Hessey and Brian Harries gave lovely characterisations as Detective Sergeants Troughton and Porterhouse. And Thomas Parker made his presence strongly felt in the small role of a cub reporter (played by Joseph Bailey at some performances).

Plaudits too for an excellent set that worked a treat.