JOHN Godber's Men of the World slipped in and out of too many characters to make it hugely watchable.

While the three stars of the show did a sterling job in being able to switch blithely from coach tour rep to old lady, to retired miner, after a while the jokes became repetitive and the characters lacked substance by not being given enough scope to become truly rounded.

The highlight of the show is when the outstanding Sarah Parks, playing the calming role of tour rep Frank, breaks into song as a bingo entertainer.

In shiny red dress and blonde wig, Parks is hilarious, clearly revelling in the crude, stand-up routine of the down-at-heel entertainer.

In her representation of an old miner, Parks again shows incredible talent at being able to inhibit her body in a restricted forward tilt as if it belonged to an old man whose lungs are choked with dust.

If it had ended after the first act, Men of the World would have been a poignant and colourful show about quirky British people coming to the end of their life's journey. As it was it was entertaining, with many laughs, but its sketch concept was just too drawn out to make it compulsive viewing.

Ally Hardy