In a tiny corner of Bermuda, pre-war England has been recreated, though a strangely self-absorbed England, oblivious to the rumblings in Europe and the wider world. 'Present Laughter', now playing at the Daylesford Theatre, is pure Noel Coward, clever, witty and slightly acerbic.

The scene is the elegant drawing room of a smart London flat, complete with silk carpet, silk curtains and wonky plumbing. The time is 1939, a few weeks before Garry Essendine, a middle-aged matinee idol, embarks on a theatrical tour of the colonies.

A universe of lesser planets revolves around the star of the West End, "advancing, with every sign of reluctance, into middle age''. Unwilling to turn down the sexual temptations offered him, Garry Essendine, ably portrayed by a dynamic Richard Fell, indulges in a series of brief affairs and one night stands, whose complications ultimately get the better of him. A charming rogue, Essendine is kept from unravelling by a sharp-tongued yet devoted secretary, Monica Reed, who knows him "less intimately than some and better than most'', and his estranged wife, Liz.

There's a symbiotic and rather claustrophobic relationship between Essendine and his inner circle comprising Henry Lyppiatt, Morris Dixon and Liz all of whose wealth and well-being are dependent on Essendine's continued success. While the action borders on bedroom farce, there are occasional self-aware and self-deprecating comments on the role of theatre in the exchange between Essendine and a pretentious and totally talentless young playwright Roland Maule who insists plays should "help people or make them think". Essendine also confronts with some exasperation the hypocrisy of those around them.

In a challenging role that demands suavity, vanity and occasional bursts of brutal honesty, Richard Fell sparkles. Fending off the attentions of awe-struck innocents and seductive sexpots, Fell's silk-wrapped Essendine is able to portray sexual glamour and narcissm even-handedly. His energetic performance runs the gamut of emotions. Though Essendine insists he is always acting, Fell allows the mask to slip occasionally, suggesting a quiet desperation beneath the facade.

Fell's commanding central role is supported by generally confident performances by a constellation of minor characters, whose precision ensures the repartee doesn't flag. Jo Shane convincingly plays Liz, the wife who loves Essendine but who cannot bear to live with him, and to whom he turns repeatedly to extricate him from the mess he's created. Classy, poised and enterprising, Liz tries to convince him that he has "reached a moment in life when a little restraint would be becoming" but willingly rescues him when he refuses to heed her. Denise Astwood as the unruffled secretary enhances the comic action with her sharp retorts and ironic asides.

A slinky Kathi DeCouto is suitably vampish as the predatory Joanna Luppiatt while Kate Eastham combines wide-eyed innocence and wily manipulation in her role as debutante Daphne Stillington.

Stephen Notman as Roland Maule, a crazed young playwright who turns from passionate critic to fawning fan, provides significant comic relief. John Ross' histrionic Morris Dixon, and Barbara Jones' eccentric Miss Erikson are also extremely funny.

While you are not likely to learn anything in the three hours the play runs, or be improved in any significant way, you are likely to be highly entertained, and there's not much more one could ask of a play than that.

'Present Laughter' runs until September 20 at the Daylesford Theatre. Tickets are available at the Daylesford box office an hour before curtain and online at www.boxofffice.bm.