★★★★

The play may have lost a little bit of its cutting edge but it clearly enjoys a place in the minds and hearts of England’s theatre going public and looks set for a sell-out run in Brighton.

The comedy was first staged in war-time Britain in the early 1940s but it still holds the ability to amuse and intrigue.

The plot literally revolves around the self-absorbed stage idol, Garry Essedene – played by Samuel West – as he holds the stage in a series of romantic encounters.

Between dealing with women bent on seduction, fighting off a mad young male playwright, and placating his estranged wife and various other business partners, the play veers between farce and parody.

The play itself has seen many reincarnations with Nigel Patrick, Albert Finney, Donald Sinden, Peter O’Toole, Simon Callow and Ian McKellen each having played the leading role.

Author Noel Coward, who took the lead in the first production, described the play, which gently mocks its hero in his pending mid-life crisis, as "a series of semi-autobiographical pyrotechnics".

No doubt Coward would have approved of the present cast. West plays the callow star around whom the world seemingly revolves with understated panache while Rebecca Johnson is compelling as his controlling wife Liz.

His disapproving secretary, played by former Downton star Phyllis Logan, handles her role as his long suffering assistant with similar ease. The seductresses, played by Zoe Boyle and Daisy Boulton also hold the stage with fiesty performances. This is a brave production.

The play harks back to a previous era and style of living and is slightly lacking in impact but it remains fun, amusing and entertaining. It is a must for anyone with an eye for a theatrical gem – or just seeking a fun night at the theatre.