TV review

IN Chaucer's original, the Wife of Bath was a randy older woman who couldn't keep her hands off men or resist taking the marriage vows. In Sally Wainwright's classy update, Beth Craddock was a leading soap star who had been, in her own words, "married more times than you have had hot dinners".

Dentist James seemed to be the husband that was going to last. After 16 years, fiftysomething Beth was still happily married to him. He, however, wasn't happily married to her, as she learnt when he confessed to having a mistress and daughter of school age.

Beth threw him out of the house ("I think you will find that only dentists who are happily married to international soap stars can afford to drive Aston Martins") and herself into her soap work. Rather too enthusiastically, perhaps, when she and her young co-star Jerome, 34 years her junior, injected too much realism into their sex scenes for the camera. They continued their romps off-screen and down the aisle.

At Home With The Braithwaites writer Wainwright took the familiar older woman/younger man scenario and pumped new life into it. The soap background helped, as Julie Walters' Beth ruled the roost, not taking kindly to her ideas being rejected by producer Jane (Samantha Bond). "You couldn't smell a good story if it crawled across your face and puked in your nostril," observed Beth.

Nobody can say lines like that quite like Walters, a performer equally at home tottering across the Acorn Antiques set as Mrs Overall or, as here, portraying an ageing actress whose brio and confidence hides a deeply insecure woman.

Currently, Walters appears to be an actress who can do no wrong. Unlike Beth who, when Jane announces she wants to axe the character played by Jerome (Paul Nicholls, all panting puppy dog and cheeky grin), Beth tries to save his feelings by talking him into leaving for the sake of his career.

Prompted by remarks that she's old enough to be his granny, she resorts to Botox and facelifts in an effort to look younger. Silly girl, he actually liked her the way she was. "You were perfect," he tells her.

So was this second in the Canterbury Tales series. After the frivolous and not-altogether-satisfying opener, The Miller's Tale, this raised hopes that the series is going to live up to expectations.

HMS Pinafore, Darlington Civic Theatre

THE moment the Carl Rosa Orchestra struck up the overture to Gilbert and Sullivan's HMS Pinafore, every head in the auditorium started bobbing in time to the music. Enthusiastically conducted by David Russell Hulme, the jaunty tunes set the stage for an enjoyable evening's entertainment.

Former Dr Who Colin Baker (the plump one, not the curly-haired one - that's Tom Baker) is excellent as the pompous former solicitor's clerk, now the Rt Hon Sir Joseph Porter KCB, First Lord of the Admiralty. Sir Joseph goes to great lengths to point out his humble beginnings, and how he believes all men are equal. Except him, of course - a sentiment which is all too familiar in today's political climate.

It's a story of true love thwarted by class barriers, and William Gilbert's tongue-in-cheek lyrics take many a poke at English social values of the time. A sort of Victorian Channel 4, if you like.

The principals and chorus are all very good indeed, and the whole production is carried off with the relish and professionalism for which Carl Rosa Opera is noted. Costumes are attractive, particularly the First Lord's sisters, his cousins and his aunts. It's an evening full of foot-tapping music, laughter and good humour, and you can't ask for more than that.

Sue Heath

l Runs until Saturday. Box Office: (01325) 486555

The Opposite Sex, Forum Theatre, Billingham

THIS is a rather racy, but very funny comedy that provides plenty of laughs and several cringe-worthy moments.

David Tristram's The Opposite Sex is a tale of two couples who seem incredibly mismatched, but suspiciously, have plenty in common with each other's spouses.

Marriage guidance counsellor Vicky suspects husband Mark is having an affair from the moment he arrives home, several hours late from work, smelling of drink. He admits he was with a female client whom he fancies - but only after his dinner hits him in the face.

Then Avon lady Judith arrives, an ex-girlfriend with whom Mark is also secretly infatuated. In a moment of madness, he invites both Judith and her husband Eric to dinner the following evening with him and his wife.

Mark looks every inch the serial adulterer - but as the dinner party unfolds, it seems he may be the only truly innocent party.

The first half is fun, snappy and intriguing and the second half is saucier but tends to peter out a little at the end.

Nigel Hunt and Margaret Moore work excellently together as husband and wife team Mark and Vicky, with Mark bearing more than a passing resemblance to Basil Fawlty. Kevin Pallister is suberb as the sullen scouser Eric.

Due to illness, the part of Judith is being played by Jacqueline Roberts, who creates a very amusing, dizzy, but loveable character.

Michelle Hedger

l Runs until Saturday. Box Office: (01642) 552663