When Hardboiled began, I have to say my heart sank. It was very loud and too dark to see what was going on, and I’m too old to sit in the dark for two hours. Then the lights came up and suddenly we were in Philip Marlowe territory, with PI (or Gumshoe, naturally) Sam Shadow (Julian Spooner) in his downtown LA office, with PA Betty (Jess Mabel Jones). And off we went on a rollicking pastiche of every film noir known to man.

The story, created by the Rhum and Clay Theatre Company and Beth Flintoff, is laden with Chandler staples – unhappy rich wife seeking help for a lover, dead bodies, red herrings, and corrupt police. Set in a strange world of electricity sub-stations and dark streets, the air crackles with static as Sam and Betty try to make sense of it all, and it’s very entertaining.

The real joy is the clever and very funny way the four actors and the minimal furniture play all the parts. A wheely frame becomes a window, a bar, a trolleybus; the table becomes a tray or a telephone box.

A tiny set must be a boon to a touring company, and it’s slickly done and extraordinarily realistic – set pieces like a car chase were just terrific and had us all laughing because it was just so witty.

The acting is top-notch, with Jess Mabel Jones outstanding – look out for a fabulous turn as secretary Miss Corson. Christopher Elwood and Matthew Wells dance in and out to play a myriad of characters, each one as rounded and believable as the last – no mean feat.

This is fun and very different, and I enjoyed it immensely. It comes highly recommended for just about anyone over 10.