What more could you want from a play than the Watermill Theatre production of London Assurance?

The only thing that seemed lacking on the opening night at Worthing's Connaught Theatre on June 25 was the audience.

What a shame that was but there's still time to see it before it ends its run on June 28 and it's a chance not to be missed.

This hugely entertaining play was written by 20-year-old Irishman Dion Boucicalt and first performed in 1841 as a "comedy of modern life".

Oscar Wilde apparently watched it when it was revived in the early 1890s and I couldn't help but notice the remarkable similarities with his The Importance of Being Earnest, first staged in... 1895.

A Lady Bracknell-esque character even makes mention of "a hamper" several times. Could that later become"a handbag"?

Boucicault's tale looks, and laughs, at English upper class life and etiquette as the ageing Sir Harcourt Courtly meets his young bride-to-be, Grace.

However, his son Charles throws a spanner in the works when he falls in love with Grace. And then Sir Harcourt meets the wonderfully named Lady Gay Spanker, and is hooked.

Throw in a money-making lawyer and a conman who has been up to his tricks so long he no longer knows who he is and you still have only some of the comic ingredients.

Stealing the stage were Gerard Murphy as Sir Harcourt and Geraldine McNulty as Lady Gay. What an indomitable pair they make.

Gerard is a cross between Toad of Toad Hall and Tweedledum and deliciously immature for his 60-plus years.

With Geraldine he has met his match. She is a strong and entertaining woman into hunting and keeping the men in their place.

Continuing the feminist theme is Clare Corbett as Grace, who deems herself innocuous to falling in love, but when she does, she's not going to be walked over.

Laurence Mitchell is convincing as man-about-town Charles Courtly and complemented by Ken Bradshaw as trickster Richard Dazzle, wheedling his way into high society.

Nigel Hastings made a good Mark Meddle, the lawyer, continually thwarted from his money-making plans, even by Sir Harcourt's spirited valet Cool, played admirably by Alan McMahon.

Directed by Nikoai Foster and with inspiring design by Philip Witcomb, London Assurance is a bundle of fun and, like Wilde's work, easily translates to life today.

Shows are at 7.30pm, with a 2.30pm matinée on Saturday. Tickets are £15 to £20 from the box office on 01903 206206 or visit www.worthingtheatres.co.uk

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