A SPOOF announcement by a foul-mouthed Irish lady follows the standard 'turn off your mobiles' spiel. The audience know what they're getting, and seem set to relish every moment.

The story centres on the goings-on within the Brown household, with three (soon to be four) generations coexisting under one roof. Granddad clings to life, Rory has fallen out with his boyfriend, and Maria is expecting twins, whilst the father robs the circus to support them all...

Added to this are angst-ridden visits from Father Quinn, who threatens to leave the priesthood. His rivals visit Mrs Brown, but their cheery "we're Mormons", is countered with "Now, son, don't be putting yourself down."

Brendan O'Carroll, Mrs Brown's creator, masterfully brings this acid-tongued widow to life.

The humour here is very earthy. Almost every joke is met with raucous laughter, and often applause. The truly memorable scenes feature granddad. First he loses a thermometer when the drunken doctor inserts it 'below the belt'. Then the family fakes his death so he can hear his own funeral oration.

Carol, Mrs Brown's daughter and a trainee psychologist, tries out her counselling skills on Rory and Deano. She is thwarted by her mother's persistent interfering, but the boys make up anyway, uniting to do granddad's corpse paint, so he looks "like f****** Shirley Temple."

The play's crowning moment is a full-scale song and dance routine, following the Almighty Quinn's "sign from God".

Mrs Brown is well worth seeing, despite a slow beginning, and occasionally monotonous expletives.

Runs until Saturday. Box Office: 0870 145 1200

Published: 25/11/2004