We spent only a couple of hours in the Café René, deep in German-occupied France in the Second World War, but like the Cognac served up by the hapless proprietor, it was an intoxicating blend, with farce, slapstick, double-endendres and slick one-liners.

Any doubts the Littlehampton Windmill audience might have had about the wisdom of Stage-Door Theatre Company attempting a production which risked ready comparison with the television sit-com were soon dispelled by fine performances throughout the cast.

Mark Roberts, as René, set the standard in the opening scene, pouring out his heart and telling us of his struggles to remain at peace with Edith, his dragon of a wife, waitresses Mimi and Yvette, with whom he was having affairs, the German army and the French resistance, each and every one of whom would shoot him if they found out about his double-dealing with the others.

All the familiar ingredients from Jeremy Lloyd and David Croft's television scripts were served up, including various large sausages supposedly concealing the valuable painting of the fallen Madonna with the big boobies, communication problems with London caused by a wireless disguised as a cockatoo, LeClerc's bizarre disguises and the mangled Franglais ("Good moaning") of British officer Crabtree (Jamie Griffiths).

A Gestapo suspender belt, complete with mousetraps to protect Herr Flick's girlfriend Helga from the advances of amorous Italian Captain Alberto Bertorelli, provided one of the evening's best moments.

The action rat-a-tat-tatted through 16 quick-fire scenes, but the well-written characters, so carefully re-created by the Stage-Door players, were what really made this such an excellent production.

Tim Kimber, as Lieut Gruber, the German officer with a fondness for René, could put the camp into Mein Kampf and the mince into hamburgers. Fearless French resistance member Michelle (Lynn Davis) only had to tell René once of her latest secret instructions and he would be packing his bag for a quieter life elsewhere.

Rickey Davey's LeClerc had the right mix of bumbling wackiness and Barry Tinkler, as the Italian Captain, cut a dashing figure, while Mark Barnes' Herr Flick had a ruthless streak which was, nevertheless, highly amusing.

Fiona Humphrey achieved the difficult task of deliberately singing off-key as the feisty Edith in a diversionary cabaret hour while René searched for another sausage, and waitresses Yvette (Laura Thornett) and Mimi (Louise Chalcraft) kept their boss happy with clandestine cuddles a-plenty.

James Wading (Colonel Von Strohm), Karen Perry (Helga), Alan Moss (General Von Schmelling), Dave Humphrey and Tony Makey, as the two hidden British airmen, and John Sweeney, as the café piano player, completed the cast, with German soldiers Gary Boniface and Ron Mundy, and peasants Mike Gearing, Heather Gearing and Pat Stewart.

This was also Tony Makey's debut as a director, and five full, or near-full houses, together with an abundance of applause and laughter, will tell him everything he needs to know about its success.

Ricky Davey and Mike Gearing also deserve credit for a versatile set quickly transformed from the café interior to a cellar, cinema, bedroom, or colonel's office.

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