SIR Alan Ayckbourn’s 73rd play in 50 amazingly creative years arrives with the puzzling plot of the central character being a little black girl of nine, called Winnie, feigning illness to keep an eye on her heavily-pregnant mother, who is a cleaner and insists her daughter speaks French on that particular day.

Ayckbourn’s eye for detail and mastery in building confections of comedy takes over as Winnoe’s world collides deliciously with that of her mother, Laverne’s (Petra Letang) employer. He is overconfident TV personality Kevin Tate (Terence Booth in fine form) who’s made the mistake of his life by allowing his badtempered wife, Paula (Alexandra Mathie) to discover that he’s bonking simpering production assistant Tiffany (Ruth Gibson). Paula’s decision to insert an offensive description of the affair in the middle of every copy of Kevin’s latest promotional DVD brings his crony Josh (Paul Kemp) scampering round to offer moral support. In the middle of this marital mayhem, Laverne’s waters break all over Paula’s designer sofa and a bemused Winnie, made entirely believable by the diminutive Ayesha Antoine in junior school garb, is then the subject of attempts to amuse, insult, patronise or ignore by the remaining adults.

The all-too-adult scene of starving Josh trying to steal Winnie’s sweets after calling her selfish for not sharing is a beautifully observed moment.

The moment Paula catches Tiffany and Kevin in flagrante, despite Winnie’s attempts to warn Josh, will take Ayckbourn fans to 73rd heaven.

■ My Wonderful Day runs until October 31. Tickets: £9- £19.50. The production moves to New York, November 11 to December 13, before touring the UK from January 20.