THE play is the title of a new book as its famous writer and his number one female fan happen to be sitting in the same compartment on a trip from Paris to Frankfurt.

Thoughts from the two explode into emotional monologue shared with the audience but not each other. The smooth-operating Peter Bowles copes admirably with the testy and self-doubting Paul Parsky. His companion allows the equally skilful Sian Phillips to explore the twilight world of a woman who has grown to distrust men but has fallen in love with an author so close to her own soul.

Unlike the constant laughter surrounding Yasmina Reza's hit play Art, there is only light amusement in 50 minutes of inner debate before the two converse in the slightest. Perhaps something has been lost in translation by Christopher Hampton, but there are times when this clever format - which Parsky identifies as a potential short story - seems to be stuck at the points.

Reza's author also tweaks the noses of the artistic elite with references to those who always laugh in a certain way in all the right places during classic performances. The writer herself still maintains a pretty lofty perch and will require a slightly shorter spoon if she's serious about dining with the proletariat. As it is, there's a feelgood final chapter as Natalie finally pulls The Unexpected Man from her bag and starts to read.

* Runs until Saturday. Box Office: (01325) 348888

Published: 09/06/2005