Death is a laugh a minute

Death is a funny thing in this revival of Jim Sweeney's fine short play. It brings old school friends Patrick (Alan Drake) and Billy (Oliver Fishman, pictured left with Drake) together after 15 years to provide their late pal Danny with a suitable send-off. The result is almost everything that pub theatre should be.

The script is laced with finely observed humour and Drake and Fishman, getting apparently ever drunker, make much of the play's many familiar themes. They talk about the lives they've led since they last met - crumbling marriages, fancy dress parties and all the rest - deftly maintaining an easy tone in Jason Lawson's subtle production.

But the play's real strength is that it deals cleverly with frankly handled issues: as the night goes on and the pair confront 'the years galloping by', an almost dreamlike atmosphere starts to emerge. Truth and lies become indistinguishable while the comedy still allows for the suggestion that they take the body down the pub.

Danny himself, the former manager of a Milli Vanilli tribute band, is incidental: 'I didn't say I liked him,' says Billy, more interested in the deceased's sister. This is much more an affectionate tale of a lovely friendship rekindled. It's nuanced but never overly taxing, and just as it seems to flag there's always a joke about a corpse to resurrect the evening.

Until Jan 21, King's Head Theatre, 115 Upper Street N1, Tue to Sat 9.30pm, Sat mat 5.15pm, Sun mat 3.30pm, £12. Tel: 020 7226 1916. Tube: Angel

Danny's Wake