TIME travel is possible after all! This was proved to me and others on Monday night when we were delightfully transported back some 40 years to the much loved halcyon days of Julian and Sandy, Charles and Fiona, and Rambling Sid Rumpold.

Round the Horne was a landmark in British comedy led by the warm and fruity tones of the avuncular but often deadpan Kenneth Horne who, with the likes of Kenneth Williams, Hugh Paddick, Betty Marsden and Bill Pertwee, brought the brilliant scripts of Barry Took and Marty Feldman to life on the radio airwaves.

In many respects this show was ahead of its time. Often irreverent, and always risky with its double entendres and innuendoes, it really did push the boundaries back – but it was never smeared with the smut or foul language that has crept into modern day comedy shows or stand-up acts.

The genius of the scripts took you off into a madcap world of crazy places and names, and of buildings and vehicles secreted in someone’s trousers!

Considering they were supposedly monitored by the BBC chiefs and given a lengthy list of untouchable subjects they cleverly circumvented around the restrictions.

But they never overstepped the bounds of decency, after all – everything was in the mind...

An outstanding cast – Jonathan Rigby, Robin Sebastian, David Delve, Michael Shaw, Sally Grace and Stephen Boswell have got the old show – voices, looks and characteristics – off to a tee.

Sebastian’s take on Kenneth Williams almost convinced me we had definitely gone back to the 1960s. A most hilarious performance Stupendously superb and all the cast, along with the excellent singing of the Not The Fraser Hayes Four and the orchestra, provide a wonderful and evocative evening’s entertainment.

Definitely a show deserving of a larger audience than it had for its opening night.

AJW