. . . this is a very enjoyable, visually pleasing production with a very strong cast that successfully exploits every opportunity for a laugh. The story takes place in some sort of private residential language school near a beach somewhere in France before the war. The students are five young Englishmen who are there prior to entering the diplomatic service, or some such thing , . . Basically, it’s just a good, old-fashioned drawing room comedy.

Tommy Steele was what the audience had paid to see, come what may, and that’s what they got and they were very happy with it. And you really can’t fault a performer who has been a star for sixty years and still manages to pack ‘em in and hold them in the palm of his hand for two hours despite all the doubts about suitability for the role. I imagine most of the audience were of an age who would remember both Singin’ The Blues and Glenn Miller . . .

The Woodlanders is an everyday story of country folk, rather like The Archers before it thought it was Eastenders. Things are very quiet in the Wessex hamlet of Little Hintock until the return of Grace, a daughter of the village, who had been sent away by her father to gain an education and loose her rough country ways. Giles, her childhood sweetheart, is inevitably cast aside and she pledges her troth to the handsome new doctor . . .

Sir, we don’t know his actual name, leads his motley crew around the provinces during the Second World War, giving his Valpone, Othello, Macbeth and other great classic roles. His loyal troupe sticks with him through thick, thin and the blitz. There is Madge his long suffering stage-manager who is secretly in love with him, a cast of second-rate actors and Norman, his loyal dresser. But Sir is at the end of his tether and one night it looks as though he will not be turning up to play Lear, his signature role . . .

I have said it before on these pages – and no doubt I will say it again – that generally speaking I look forward to seeing contemporary dance companies more than I do straight theatre. One is often disappointed by drama productions, even those that have impeccable credentials but I for one am rarely, if ever, disappointed by modern dance . . . Phoenix Dance Theatre is celebrating its 35th anniversary and, to my shame, this is the first time I have seen them. And I wasn’t disappointed.