Business Affairs seemed to be much enjoyed by the Malvern audience, judging by the laughter in the Festival Theatre on Monday's opening night.

In a hotel room in London, two Huddersfield businessmen under threat of bankruptcy are preparing to sell their haulage firm to a German and a Swede, netting themselves a fortune and the chance of retirement to Spain.

The foreign businessmen require female company and when the escort agency lets the Northeners down, their wives step into the breach, much to their horror.

Gorden Kaye was in superb form as the hen-pecked Norman Harris, his immaculate comic timing fed by the best lines that writers John Chapman and Jeremy Lloyd had to offer. He said far less than any of the other major characters but the part was a gift to his talents.

He was backed to the hilt by Ken Morley as fellow businessman Stanley Bigley, the more worldly of the two and pivotal to keeping the play moving forward. The play was not for the subtle, absolutely packed with stereotypes of every kind, and the plot developed on traditional farce lines, if a little crude in places.

Carol Harrison and Vicki Michelle played the two wives with gusto, mixing prim indignation at their husband's escort agency antics with joyful abandon to the attentions of the foreign businessman.

In all, a cheerful evening for a good- natured audience.

David Edwards