To steal one of Bertie Wooster’s favourite plaudits, tonight’s show, Jeeves and Wooster in Perfect Nonsense, was ‘tremendous!’

There was something for everyone, whether approaching the performance fresh to the world of Jeeves and Wooster, or as a long-standing fan. Half the audience was made up of parties of school children who loved every minute (and were perfectly behaved!). They roared with laughter at the brilliant physical comedy and slapstick –well, who doesn’t get a giggle out of a man walking into a wall – but also seemed to catch plenty of the more obvious puns.

Much of the theatre was filled with seasoned fans, who seemed able to pre-empt the catch phrases and jokes and were in a state of delighted mirth before some of the lines had even been delivered. Clearly this adaptation has remained true to the spirit of Wodehouse’s writing and the greatly cherished characters have been brought to life skilfully and respectfully by Robert Webb, as the ludicrously posh, deeply dim, hapless, but ultimately good hearted gentleman, Bertie Wooster, and Jason Thorpe, playing Wooster’s ever po-faced, long suffering but endlessly resourceful and erudite manservant, Jeeves.

Webb merely has to contort his already somewhat silly rubber face into one of so many gapes, gawps or grimaces to raise a laugh, from children and adults alike.

It being the opening night in Oxford, there were a few technical hitches, but as so much of the comedy of the play is based on ingenious framing and showcasing of theatrical tricks and techniques, sometimes by demonstrating how they can go wrong, the unscripted bloopers simply added to the farce and to everyone’s enjoyment. It was sometimes hard to know when a failing curtain fall or out of synch sound effect was a genuine error, or cleverly added for comedic effect.

The play begins with a clever conceit, that this is a play within a play and the actors are all acting a supposedly improvised performance. Wooster is telling a story –that of his recent trials and tribulations in attempting to retrieve a silver cow creamer for his hysterical Aunt – and he’s chosen to do so in front of a full theatre audience. The set up is crazy, the plot is convoluted and there are only three people on stage to bring it all to life. The moments of true ad-libbing, interactions with the audience (look out if you’re in the front row!), corpsing and wardrobe malfunctions, are handled with deftness and warmth, and are all the more hilarious for it.

Much praise should be given to Robert Webb, Jason Thorpe and Christopher Ryan for the sheer energy and enthusiasm of their performances. They throw themselves around the stage, dance, cavort, mince, run, pedal and crawl (I have to assume that there was some serious commando style technique would be required for Jeeves to swiftly move from beneath a bed and then appear through a door stage right) and metamorphose seamlessly (almost!) as no less than nine different characters!

If you’re a fan of theatrical artistry, you’ll appreciate everything from the revolving stage to the costume changes to the sound effects. If you enjoy good wordplay, you’ll find much to please you in the witty banter, jokes and puns. If you just love a darn good caper, you’ll laugh out loud at the physical fooling about. Jeeves and Wooster in Perfect Nonsense is a truly appropriate title for this most clever, witty piece of silliness.