It was hard to hear many of the lines in this hugely entertaining tale of a nightmare Christmas.

That's because the play was so funny that people were still laughing at the previous lines.

And almost every line brought a big laugh thanks to its mix of ages-old gags and super-sharp original dialogue.

Mostly hilarious and occasionally heartwarming, this was a strong production by Steven Clark uniformly strong cast.

The Baileys, played with full-blooded believability by Debbie Park and Richard Aldham, were invaded by in-laws and neighbours.

Cue resentment, flare-ups, settling of old scores, marital break-ups, painful reunions and a karaoke from hell.

The humour was by turns silly, scathing, black, bawdy, pertinent and poignant, culminating in a lovely final scene.

Then, to smash a perfect ending to smithereens, came a bizarre, over-the-top song routine by the entire cast.

Apart from that unnecessary finale, this is the most enjoyable Playhouse production for years.

* Until Saturday 7.30pm. Phone 08451 267859.