THERE’S nothing more delicious than comedy done well and this production of Michael Frayn’s Noises Off is a veritable delight.

It’s an inspired choice by David Thacker for his swansong as artistic director of the Octagon, one of north-west England’s great theatre companies. Frayn’s masterpiece was written over 30 years ago yet it remains the benchmark against which modern theatrical comedies are measured.

In essence a farce within a farce, its focus is a somewhat creaky theatre company which is about to embark on a tour of Britain’s less notable venues with Nothing On, a decidedly dodgy production.

The opening act, the final dress rehearsal before the opening, sees the ever more desperate director Lloyd Dallas — beautifully played by Rob Edwards — far from convinced that everything will be alright on the night.

An incompetent cast stumble through their lines, props fail and general mayhem appears to have infected the company.

Then, with an amazing set change, the action literally switches backstage and the play is now into the fourth week of its disastrous tour. Bickering has broken out among the actors and the drunken old-timer Selsdon Mowbray (Kenneth Alan Taylor) has gone Awol.

Then it’s back onstage again and the final night in Stockton-on-Tees, where frazzled nerves have finally gone into meltdown.

The pace and energy is breathtaking as the jokes come thick and fast and, with some incredibly slickly choreographed slapstick, everyone — audience included — is exhausted when the lights finally go down.

Charlotte Cornwell as the harassed housekeeper Dotty is wonderful, as is Barbara Drennan as old pro Belinda, madly trying to keep everything on track, while James Quinn as Timothy Allgood proves a master of slapstick — it’ll be a triumph if he gets through the run without breaking his neck.

It’s worth staying in the auditorium for at least one of the two intervals to watch the amazing technical crew at work.

These highly skilled craftspeople never get the plaudits yet they’re essential to the success of a production like this.

Runs until July 4, box office: octagonbolton.co.uk

Review by Paul Foley