A LAVISH set and stunning period costumes take the audience back in time to 1908 for this comic play.

Three couples are celebrating their silver wedding anniversaries in the Yorkshire town of Clecklewyke, having all got married on the same day at the same church.

Alderman Joseph Helliwell (Chris Clarke) and his wife Maria (Vilma Watson) are the hosts and are joined by their friends Councillor Albert Parker (Stuart Woodroffe) and his other half Annie (Pamela Meredith) together with Herbert and Clara Soppitt (David Wakeman and Lynn Ravenhill).

The celebrations are in full swing when the recently appointed chapel organist, Gerald Forbes (James Stevens), tells the three couples they were never officially married.

The announcement is a shock and they all worry they will be "a laughing stock" if word gets out..

Adding to the problems are Fred Dyson (Thomas Oakley), a reporter from the Yorkshire Argus, and his photographer Henry Ormonroyd (Stanley Barton). They arrive to interview the "happy couples" but are unaware of the drama that has just unfolded.

Jennifer Eglinton's character Mrs Northrop, who is the Helliwell's ill-mannered servant, provides a lot of comedy and her behaviour as she finds out the couple's news has the audience in stitches.

The three couples are well cast and Vilma Watson is great as proud hostess Maria who is devastated when she learns the truth.

Photographer Ormonroyd, who gets more and more drunk as the night goes on and forgets why he has gone to the house in the first place, is very funny.

This comedy is a lot of fun and I definitely recommend it.

HL