Jean Anouilh's 1947 play, a lightly veiled metaphor for an emasculated France and a brutal occupying force, doesn't sound like it's going to be a barrel of laughs. But last night was a hoot, played in-the-round as precisely & craftily as it was by Colwall Players.

We're at a fin-de-siecle ball - far off musical strains lovingly selected by Philip Holland - complete with Dianne Lloyd's lorgnette shooting, all-seeing ancient dowager in a bath chair wheeled by Rosie Turner's suitably simpering companion, the chateau attended by Andy Howie's magnificently creaking, white-gloved butler.

Man of the Match goes to Lee Farley for his tour de force of identical twins, the one vile wretch intent on wrecking the marriage plans of the ineffectual other to Hattie Walker's splendidly powerful & conniving rich daddy's girl.

Claire Revitt is terrific as the beautiful Isabelle, hired to distract one twin's affections; she's great to watch as she travels from shy country girl through unwilling accomplice to angry victim. Her threadbare mother, Angela Meredith, is hilariously rejuvenated at the ball while Steve Burford's butterfly and child collector plays eerily in this age.

Best moments included silent tango fantasies between Anna Byer's bosom heaving Lady Dorothy and Duncan Lewis's easily shocked young male secretary, plus a deconstruction of European capitalism by John Denham's old industrialist, never happier he claims than when he started out as a poor tailor in Cracow.

We were promised a glittering occasion and a sparkling script. Director Nigel Turner, the production team and the actors kept their promise. Five star.

Adrian Mealing