Bolton Little Theatre, runs until Sunday, October 28

BOLTON audiences must certainly know a good thing when they hear about one. This production already had an extra night added to its run before getting underway due to demand.

The play will now run until Sunday, October 28, to give everyone the opportunity to see it.

And it is well worth the visit.

This is a very funny comedy, but as with all Ayckbourn there is a serious undercurrent running through adding weight to the story.

The four characters are played superbly well. Sue Bolus is accomplished as the wimpish Nikki, June Grice is terrific as Barbara, and Andrew Close gives a very strong performance as Hamish. But, if anyone has to be singled out then it has to be Dave Pollard. He is brilliant as the wimpish, yet slightly sinister Gilbert who lives in the basement of the three storey house in which the action takes place.

The set is very cleverly split into an upstairs flat, the main ground floor flat and the basement. This is no easy task with action taking place on all three floors, sometimes in one scene.

But BLT members, led by Mike Tatman and his team have devised a very inventive set which accomplishes this terrifically well.

Barbara owns the house in which the other characters live. The action begins when her old school friend, Nikki, and her fiance, Hamish, move into the upstairs flat. Hamish lives in the basement and is besotted by his landlady, although she is not aware of his devotion. As is typical of Ayckbourn, the action is led by the characters who indulge in a series of witty and sharp interchanges.

This is a terrific production of a very sharp play, well worth seeing. Beverly Greenberg