Exquisite costumes and a stylish décor cloak this elegant production in a golden aura of nostalgia and timeless chic. Part homage to, and part biography of, two cultural icons of the twentieth century, Noël Coward and Ivor Novello, ‘The Two Most Perfect Things’ patters gaily across a tableau of their lives and careers in a cavalcade of music, dance and impeccably polished shoes. Subtle changes in mood and tone, from the poignancy of Novello’s ‘Keep the home fires burning’ to the dry wit of Coward’s ‘Mad dogs and Englishmen’, are gracefully achieved, and a perfectly groomed cast of five seem to enjoy themselves immensely. This show is a pleasure to watch, and a fitting tribute to two legends of showmanship.

Assembly Roxy, 2-27 Aug (not 13,20), 11.10am.
tw rating 4/5 | [Colette M Talbot]