ANYONE of a certain age will remember Ade Edmondson and Nigel Planer from such classic 1980’s comedy shows as The Comic Strip and The Young Ones (a show deemed so scandalous, my dad would not allow us to watch it!), writes our theatre critic Kerry Black.

Thirty odd years later they have reunited to write and tour in Vulcan 7, a play set in a trailer on the location of the latest instalment of a sci-fi film franchise. Planer plays the plummy voiced Hugh Delavois, who after many years as a plodding actor has landed a regular role in the series as the snooty English butler. Meantime, Edmondson plays Gary Savage, who has had a stellar career as a bad boy actor, however, his off-screen antics have ensured that he now rarely works. Savage is hopeful that Vulcan 7 will lever him back to fame, only to discover that after 4 hours in make up, transforming him into the comically, cumbersome Angry Thermidon, he has only one word to utter in the entire film! Having been friends since RADA, they know each other’s history inside out and old jealousies and vanities erupt as they are stuck together in the trailer from hell on the side of an apparently inert Icelandic volcano.

The first half was a fairly subdued essay in selfishness as they both realise that despite their successes over the years, they have both been sucked dry by a variety of errant partners. Lois Chimimba plays Leela Vitoli, the young runner on the film, who struggles to balance their egos while the trailer starts to slide ever dramatically towards the ravine.

The second half of the play sees a seismic shift both literally and dramatically as the trailer slumps ever more dangerously and the two men realise that either one of them could actually be Leela’s father. With plenty current references to Weinstein and the #metoo brigade, plus liberal name dropping, it is obvious that the storyline although as far fetched as any sci-fi script, still has a toe hold in the real struggles faced by ageing actors as they seek to redeem their careers.

There are some brilliant gags in this play, mixed with some darkly dramatic moments from Edmondson and Planer. It’s The Odd Couple in an alien landscape.

Full marks to the entire direction and sound team for the exciting stage effects too.

Vulcan 7 is at Edinburgh’s King’s Theatre until Saturday 10th November at 7.30pm nightly, plus matinees. Call 0131 529 6000 to book.