COMEDY capers don't get more fast and fabulous than this.

You have to have your wits about you to keep up with the one-liners in this frenetic show, which is a slapstick lover's delight.

It's 1950s America and some bed-hopping gem thieves are gearing up to raid a priceless diamond owned by a Hungarian prince and anyone who's anyone is in on the act.

The jokes, verbal and visual, are piled high and delivered with relish by the brilliant 12 strong cast.

And The Comedy About A Bank Robbery is a farce that requires some rather tricky comedy staging, which it carries off with amusing aplomb.

They're not the first to see the hilarious possibilities of a pull-down bed, but they're surely the best with a bizarre menage a trois being conjured up in brilliant fashion thanks to a curtained cupboard above, storage space beneath and one very energetic and particularly bendy actor.

One particular gravity-defying scene in the second act actually drew gasps as it cleverly manipulated perspective so that actors are seen from above but remain vertical.

Whereas Mischief Theatre's breakthrough hit The Play That Goes Wrong was a very British affair and took a playful swipe at a disastrous night of amateur dramatics, their latest play is all American, playing homage to screw-ball comedy films of the 80s like Airplane, The Naked Gun and Police Academy.

The West End cast have been keeping the audiences guessing - but mainly laughing hysterically - for exactly three years and a lovely touch following a rousing reception at curtain down was the touring cast leading a 2,000 strong rendition of Happy Birthday.

If the first night Mayflower audience's reaction is anything to go by, this laugh a minute caper could easily run for another three.

The Comedy About A Bank Robbery is in Southampton until Saturday.