It’s brilliantly funny.

"A Private Function" is an amusing farce in the tradition of old Ealing studio comedies like "The Lavender Hill Mob," and like those movies, it never quite ignites.

Director Malcolm Mowbray neatly orchestrates the resulting drama and points up the class antagonisms at play.

Fans of Alan Bennett will recognize the writer's characteristic combination of dark satire with a light touch in this enjoyable British farce featuring a stellar cast.