IT’S a sweltering New York evening in 1952 and publishing executive Richard is alone in his apartment while his wife of seven years spends the summer at the beach.

A potted tomato plant plummets on to his balcony, accidentally dropped by the girl living upstairs – and the temptations begin.

In a thought-provoking yet comedic analysis of conscience and guilt, Gyuri Sarossy is mesmeric as the frustrated Richard. Verity Rushworth plays the various girls in his life with panache and conviction.

The period stage set is brilliant, lighting and (most) sound effects superb.

Richard’s dream/fantasy sequences work imaginatively, from the cartoon bubble featuring his tempting girls, through the symbolically igniting fireplace seduction scene, to the playfully realistic gunshots segment.

Perhaps the apartment balcony moments would benefit from Manhattan’s street noises and maybe the champagne bottle cork’s sexual symbolism is overdone, but nevertheless this compelling study of marital trust and guilt, suspicion and paranoia, is delivered with a lovely lightness of touch.

Will Richard succumb to temptation and scratch his sevenyear itch? (My wife and I have been together now for seven years...should I really be reviewing this play?) Runs until April 7.