Zany spoof The Falcon's Malteser, a stage adaptation of Anthony Horowitz's 1986 comic crime book, provides witty jokes, songs and slapstick, but is lightweight and often ridiculous.

Fortunately this family show becomes so ludicrous that it is laughable, and the quick pace adds to the fun.

A cast of four play 20 characters including a Mexican dwarf, a gangster known as The Fat Man although he is super slim, and a nightclub singer called Lauren Bacardi.

Inept private detective Tim Diamond, who relies heavily on his shrewd young brother Nick, is offered £1,000 to safeguard a package which turns out to be a box of Maltesers.

But the sweets lead to a fortune in diamonds.

Former stand-up Feargus Woods Dunlop is excellent as the clueless Tim, who lives up to his real name Simple, while Tom Medcalf provides an ideal foil for him as his 13-year-old brother.

Heather Westwell (Feargus's wife) and Dan Winter take on a variety of roles which require quick and amusing changes.

Carl Davies's all-purpose set is cleverly converted into several locations, and director Lee Lyford proves suitably inventive, especially with a hectic car chase involving two chairs on wheels.

Three stars