The 39 Steps, Frinton Summer Theatre, until Saturday, August 5. 01255 676656.

THE oldest summer rep in the country is rattling along at a lickety split of a pace this week.

That's because for its fourth week (crikey is it four weeks already) audiences are being treated to a rip-roaringly spiffing production of The 39 Steps.

Taking John Buchan's ever so serious Edwardian spy romp, as well as the classic Hitchcock film starring Robert Donat, as his inspiration Patrick Barlow, of the National Theatre of Brent, has created a rather wonderful send-up of the genre.

But while parodying the ripping yarn has been done plenty of times before, what makes this show so utterly joyous is the theatrical tricks, in-jokes and general nonsense of four actors playing a myriad of characters.

So let's first give the cast a mighty big pat on the back, or perhaps a firm shake of the hand. That's Max Gell, the one actor who plays the same person throughout, Richard Hannay, but who does it oh so well. Then Natasha Pring, who flits effortlessly from femme fatal (and I have got that spelling right!) to sweet crofters wife and then eventually the piece's main love interest.

Finally there's the show's two chameleonic 'clowns' although character actors would be perhaps be a more accurate description bearing in mind how many they get through. One of my favourite scenes is on the platform when the pair are variously station master, paperboy, underwear salesman and policeman - brilliant.

Pulling it all together is Colchester director Patrick Marlowe - yes Marlowe does Barlow - and what an awesome job he's done again.

The go-to guy for their more technically bonkers shows, I cannot wait to see what Frinton throws at him next year. Whatever it is - go and see it!

NEIL D'ARCY-JONES