THIS delightfully compact production hilariously stretches the old social club/music hall magic act story to breaking point and beyond in 90-odd hilarious, crude, surreal minutes, and leaves you aching for more.

Disillusioned 'magicomedy' act Syd Selby and Fanny emerge from retirement to publicly settle a few old scores with a certain celebrity TV magician who, they claim, stole their act back in 1963 and turned it into a success story, leaving them with, shall we say, not a lot.

Cue plenty of gags about Paul Daniels, missed opportunities, the underbelly of light entertainment and some quite brilliant and witty magic tricks. Terence Mann and Julia Rounthwaite as Syd and Fanny are splendid comic creations -- exaggerated enough to be funny, but without falling into caricature. Their 'Christmas Medley' should be number one, frankly, though it would never be played on air.

For a finale we have an hysterically drawn-out '007 Escapology' featuring the Cabinet of Doom, followed by a tender ending of pathos and beauty.

With marvellous support from Craig O'Connor as the Derek Farnell Orchestra and Peter Slater as a fellow act 'fleeced' by Neil Diamond, this is the most original piece you'll see this year. The perfect Christmas tonic.

Syd & Fanny's Christmas Turkey

Octagon Theatre Bill Naughton Studio until December 23