Stags & Hens - Altrincham Garrick

DESIGNER Lesley McKie skilfully transforms the Garrick's main stage into nightclub toilets for Willy Russell's reworked comedy Stags & Hens.

This is the scene of much booze fuelled drama and while the play has a serious theme, about the need to sometimes break away from the familiar when "the familiar" is holding you back, most people will I imagine, go to see this to watch a group of young people letting their hair down and the inevitable carnage that follows such drinking sprees.

While the repetitive strong language becomes boring, it does add authenticity to the piece and so do the lively and energetic performances of a cast who really convinced me there in party mood. Although most of the high jinks take place among Linda and her curious collection of mates, from the weepy Maureen to Bernie, a woman who has, to coin the phrase, been round the block a few times. Fiona Primrose is outstanding in this role and Francesca Heraghty-Smith equally impressive as Linda.

Her evening takes a very complicated turn when an old flame turns up on her hen night.

Josh Leach is very intimidating as Eddy, a frightening, thuggish control freak who thinks he can bully Linda into going down the aisle when she starts to have her doubts.

Stags & Hens may not be Shakespeare but it's a play with no pretensions that's sure to strike a chord with anyone whose been on a stag or a hen do.

While Russell over does the swearing - and I am definitely no prude - there are some brilliant comic lines to enjoy. Lines that offer us a reminder of just why this Scouse playwright is one of our greatest.

* Until May 5. The box office is on 0161 928 1677. Star rating - ****