Playwright William Douglas Home knew all about the upper classes, coming from an aristocratic background himself with older brother Alec as Prime Minister.

Not surprising then, that when it came to writing about the eccentricities of the people he mixed with he was bang on target.

This revival from 1972 and set in the early 60s is billed as "a hilarious drawing room comedy".

I would prefer to describe it as a gentle observational comedy with polite laughs covering a deep vein of pathos as the redoubtable Lady Boothroyd threatens to take her own life if the bulldozers move on to the acreage of her stately home to prepare for a bypass.

As her ancient, rather deaf retired general husband of 50 years rambles on and repeats his old war stories, Lady Sheila knows her own battle is all but lost when their useless politician son fails to persuade the government to stop the inevitable even though his mother's suicide plans are splashed across the front pages of the newspapers.

So this is a piece not just about the eccentricities of the gentry but about the enduring love of a batty old married couple, a woman's stoical and selfless stand against the ruthless rumble of progress and the desecration of the countryside. Worthy, but rather dull in this production.

It looked good, all the chit-chat taking place in the grand baronial hall on the Boothroyd estate.

But it moved too slowly for me. Edward Fox's playing of the old duffer Sir William may have been endearing to some but I found his ponderous and mannered delivery tedious rather than amusing.

Claire Bloom was originally advertised to play Lady Boothroyd but the tour started without her and Helen Ryan made an excellent job of the elegant and determined lady.

Derek Wright was perfect as the faithful old retainer Robertson.

Most of the audience on Monday's opening night were on the "mature" side and I wouldn't recommend this as a jolly for the younger theatre-going public.

Diana Eccleston

3 stars