*** One thing is for sure, when the Um Um boys roll into town, no politician, celebrity, institution or stone for that matter are left unturned and unridiculed.

Satirical humour at its Bermudian best -- with a dash of the Monty Pythons thrown in for good measure -- with a sidewards look at Island life is guaranteed to make everyone titter.

Performing at the New Clayhouse Inn -- and sold out as usual for their Thursday to Saturday run -- the gang admirably entertained the sell-out crowd.

Bruce Barritt, Fred Barritt, Peter Smith and Tim Taylor couldn't be faulted on their, almost seamless, show. Minus Sean Dill -- currently in New York -- and with Fred Barritt hobbling with a broken leg, they took a meander through everyday life on this small rock.

Radio Mohawk -- the sound of St. David's -- complete with `sink plunger' mike was a great send-up of local radio, with Bruce Barritt giving a great individual performance of a husky late-night host.

The audience particularly enjoying the ribbing of Premier Pamela Gordon for not trading in Quinton Edness on a US game show.

And showing that everyone should have the ability to laugh at themselves, a sketch with two of the cast looking for work in a traditional Bermudian manner was typical.

Scouring the classifieds for work, convinced they could find nothing for them, they see a job for an overseas worker -- with the bottom line -- Bermudians need only apply.

One of the funniest parts was the suit-buying experience, with legendary assistance from a, dare I say it, `traditional' shop worker. Not to be missed.

Musical interludes were funny little ditties ribbing the rise of new technology -- the Internet Blues -- and having a gentle dig at the proud car owners on the island -- The King of the Road.

The Monty Python influence was most apparent in the meeting of the Brotherhood of Bermuda Conspiracy Theorists -- which brought back memories of John Cleese and his Judean Peoples' Front in the classic film Life of Brian.

Dark shades and funny handshakes in the street from Bermudians who were paranoid about just about everything.

With a minimal set, and no roadies, the foursome managed to produce a great show which smoothly flowed -- almost always -- from one set to another.

The canned history of Bermuda involved all of the cast and was possibly one of the best pieces, made all the better by the impromptu prompting of each other.

For those of us who are new to the Island, it was heartening to see that the great British tradition of laughing at ourselves is thriving over here -- with imagination and originality.

Tim Greenfield AND NOW HERE IS THE NEWS -- Comic duo Bruce Barritt (left) and brother Fred Barritt during a solemn moment of the Not the Um Um show at the New Clayhouse Inn, North Shore, Devonshire.