The Christmas lights are on, and in town and village halls across the country it’s pantomime time – except in Marlborough where, having shot their bolt early with the Hamlet-meets-Aladdin comedy Waiting for Panto at Easter, the Marlborough Players are back with hard-hitter The Philanthropist.

Christopher Hampton’s 1972 bourgeois comedy revolves around a set of insular Oxford academics, in particular the philanthropist of the title, Philip (Alex Rogers). Nothing much seems to invade their world – John (Jani Loikkanen), a post-grad very convincingly blows his own head off in Philip’s apartment in the first scene whilst demonstrating a grabbing ending to his play; most of the government is wiped out by a fanatical army major – but they are more concerned by dinner party small talk and who can bed who.

Philip's a harmless creature, a pleaser who annoys simply because he is too ‘nice’. He is ultimately worried about being lonely, especially when his fiancée Celia (Amanda Hancock) dumps him, he can’t ‘perform’ with the university vamp Araminta (Martha Fogg) and even shy Liz (Gail Sinden) gets it on with his friend, Don (John Blunden).

Experienced director Sue Baxter drew the best performances from her actors – good comic timing and subtle performances.

Louise Davidson