"A Voyage Around My father" by John Mortimer.

Nottingham Theatre Royal.

I must admit that this is a play that has escaped my attention, both on TV and in the theatre, and what I didn't realise was the age of this play. First performed in 1970, it's fifty three years old.

In Mortimer's autobiographical play, the voyage starts in the 1920's when Father goes blind after a gardening accident. The son looks back on an unconventional childhood and youth overshadowed by his eccentric Father, played by Rupert Everett. Sent away to boarding school to be "prepared for life", he finds the teachers deranged by shell shock after the First World War and boys who try to "sex up" their ordinary home lives with romantic flights of fancy.

As the Second World War begins, the mild-mannered protagonist tries to become a writer, but is compelled to become a barrister like his father.

Throughout the play the two main characters are referred to just as Father and Son.

Rupert Everett plays Father. Stubborn, intimidating, vulnerable, inappropriate on several occasions but at all times engaging. The physical side of Father's ageing is done extremely well. The whitening of his hair and the whole physical look and movement just told the age advancement so well. It's also the frustration of not being that independent person he once was as, and at times he lashes out and then retracts. Throughout his career as a blind barrister though he used his blindness as an advantage, to great comic effect.

It's an honour to see a legend of the calibre of Mr Everett treading the boards of the Theatre Royal stage; I felt the same way when I first saw David Suchet perform in Nottingham, you just know that you're viewing class.

Jack Bardoe plays Son. His portrayal of his younger self is especially comical, but extremely accurate, especially when his friend is teaching him to whistle. As we see him grow, you can see the inheritance of Son's comedy genes from Father and the humour comes across very naturally. With the costume changes depicting the more mature Son, we also see his courtship and eventual marriage and becoming a Father himself.

The scenes where Father first meets Son's intended were so well written with no awkwardness at all between Father and Elizabeth, played by Allegra Marland.

Eleanor David is Son's Mother, patiently tending to Father's every need and whim, right up until the end.

Julian Wadham is the Headmaster of Son's school. Again these scenes were written with such wry wit. You will recognise Julian from his extensive TV and film CV, and he's no stranger to the stage either.

Richard Hodder plays Ham, the shell shocked School master. Looking back I saw resemblance to one of my teachers who used to launch board rubbers and books like missiles at pupils, usually with more accuracy than Ham.

The remaining actors all took on several different characters throughout the play, fleshing out the story. Heather Bleasdale, Zena Carswell, John Dougall, Calum Finlay, Leoni Kibbey and Rob Pomfret.

John Mortimer was actually a Barrister before becoming known for creating "Rumpole Of the Bailey" for TV and various political dramas, so he knows what he is talking about. As I've mentioned above, the writing is wonderfully observed and peppered with some brilliant comedy lines, liberally shared out between the characters.

Directed by Sir Richard Eyre who, as anyone will know is an absolute legend when it comes to directing for theatre. Starting at Nottingham Playhouse, he has worked his way to Director of the National Theatre. Obviously with this calibre of Director, it's guaranteed to be of the highest quality, which of course it was.

The Set and Costume Design are both by Bob Crowley. The set was simple with props moved on and off stage easily. The digital backdrop creating the extensive garden that Father loved so much.

The music that you hear in the play is composed by Stephen Warbeck.

There was more comedy in this script than I'd expected, and the final scenes were done with dignity, no dramas and with great emotion, especially Son's final speech. Anyone who has lost their father will know exactly the feelings Son felt and completely understand Son's last words of the play.

"A Voyage Around My Father" is at the Nottingham Theatre Royal until Saturday 18 November.