THERE is a charm with PG Wodehouse that brings a smile to my face whenever I read any of his books.

Anyone who has ever read his works will know that pleasure of completing one in an afternoon.

More than 100 years after the celebrated author wrote his first Jeeves and Wooster story, a stage adaptation of one of his tales comes to Southampton’s Mayflower Theatre.

Our friend Bertie Wooster (James Lance) spends this evening recounting a tale with many much-loved Jeeves regulars, who feature in Perfect Nonsense.

Wooster’s Drone Club pal Gussie Fink-Nottle is in a spot of bother with Madeleine Bassett, while Bertie’s aged relative Aunt Dahlia has her eye on a silver cow creamer.

In typical form Bertie speaks of how easy this acting is while poor old Jeeves (John Gordon Sinclair) and a frail Seppings (Robert Goodale) do all the hard work.

Sinclair’s performance is top notch, changing from the stoic Jeeves in the ribald Sir Watkyn Bassett and the scheming Stiffy Byng seamlessly.

Similarly Goodale is on good form playing a variety of characters.

Lance’s high-pitched voice and slightly-too-camp Wooster was jarring and it was difficult to warm to him.

I spent the evening wishing I could have seen Stephen Mangan’s performance instead.

However, the cast’s use of the stage was hilarious and Wodehouse’s mercurial writing shone through.