IT was well worth wading through white slush to see this production The white stuff in question wasn't an early snowfall but unfortunately a thuggish attack on the theatre by paint-wielding vandals shortly before the performance on Saturday night. But when the play got underway, laughter from the appreciative audience nearly raised the rafters from start to finish .

The well-loved bawdy comedy by Rochdale's own Mike Harding doesn't shock, and certainly isn't offensive -- but it does have adult humour.

The jokes come thick and fast as the audience is treated to the oddities of the working class Ollerenshawe family who are marrying into the well-to-do Greenhalghs. The action swings from pre-wedding preparations through an eventful and boozy stag night to the wedding ceremony.

Inevitably the two familes clash at the reception when the toffee-nosed Greenhalghs are exposed as all fur coat and no knickers.

The outstanding comic performance goes to Cyril Armstrong as grandad (known as Nip).

He only had to walk on stage for the audience to roll around with laughter.

As a boozy, womanising pensioner, with a no nonsense attitude, the part is tailor-made for comedy. Jonathan Broadley, as Peter Ollerenshawe, the "professional moaner and part-time Marxist" put on a great performance as the one who rips away the Greenhalghs' fig-leaf of respectability.

Real life father and son Geoff and Chris Millard played on-stage father and son -- Hitler-loving Harry Ollerenshawe and sensible Kevin Ollerenshawe.

I wonder how Geoff felt watching his daughter Leanne Millard strip to her undies in front of him in the night club scene.

Barry Pollard as Mark Greenhalgh and Andy Withers as best man Hamish did very well after being drafted in just a few days before the play started.

A play well-worth going to see for a great laugh. Matthew Taylor

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