The Play What I Wrote, The Mayflower, Southampton

A LITTLE, grey-haired man with an inflated sense of his own importance and a taller, dark-haired man who excels at playing the fool. Sound familiar?

Not, in fact, Morecambe and Wise, as we are tempted to assume - but a double act whose partnership runs along almost identical lines.

The Eric-ish Clive Hayward and his Ernie-esque partner Kim Wall (played by actors of the same name) are still working the clubs and dreaming of their big break after 15 years together. Kim is convinced, against all the evidence, that he can make it as a great playwright. Clive knows better, of course, but how can he convince Kim that comedy is his destiny? By putting on a show in which they will "do" Morecambe and Wise, of course.

As tribute shows go, this seamless blend of classic M&W sketches and new material that could have flowed straight from the pen of the duo's writer Eddie Braben is good enough to be enjoyed on its own terms.

Both as "themselves" and Eric and Ernie, Hayward and Wall are superbly funny, capturing the essence of the classic British comedy double act without ever straining to do so.

It shouldn't be possible for Morecambe and Wise's act to be brought to life on stage without Eric and Ernie there to do it - but this show somehow manages to pull off the trick, throwing in all the visual gags which the duo excelled at for good measure.

Guest star Nigel Havers sent himself up to perfection in last night's opening performance, helping to recall those classic 70s Christmas shows.

Silliness at its most sublime.

Runs until Saturday.