BABBIES In The Wood is another orchard of ripe laughs from comic institution Berwick Kaler.

Horsing around in Sherbet Forest and Rottingham in his 24th year, the dame, writer and co-director has a new title to his name: Dr Kaler, courtesy of the University of York.

So the "Doctor of Rubbish" calls himself Dr Ariadne Oddbod and promptly prescribes more of the same medicine, and it works most efficaciously over 14 scenes, well drilled by fellow co-director Damian Cruden, but with room for off-piste thrills.

There are not one but two Berwick grand entries, except that the first is, in fact, Suzy Cooper, and tonight Matthew, she is going to be Berwick Kaler, Sunderland accent, heavy boots, handkerchief wipe of the brow and all. She's a maid-in-heaven this year, maid Marian the housemaid, the object of desire for the villainous Sheriff of Rottingham (David Leonard).

Leonard arrives on horseback, the 'horse' being Edwina (the first of the topical gags, with a belter about John Major to follow). Knockout frying-pan slapstick, a hip-notic rendition of Sex Bomb that ends with Cooper in handcuffs (ooh er) and a dashing swordfight with Joanne Heywood's gallant Robin Hood find him knocking back the boos with customary flamboyance in his 15th year.

Kaler enters aboard an inflatable ark - an ark de triomphe you could say - and is in tip-top form, whether becoming a spinning archery target, clashing, like last year, with a scene-stealing ferret or impersonating Elvis singing A Little Less Conversation, A Little More Action Please. Not that he obeys the King's advice; he deviates as often as a Sunday train timetable.

As ever, heroically daft sidekick Martin Barrass - the best skipper since Bobby Moore - bounces off Berwick with puppy enthusiasm, this time adding crocodile-hunting Aussie Steve Irwin to his repertoire of TV personalities.

The babes of the title give Berwick the excuse to work the TV cult of the year, The Osbournes, into the show by calling them Ozzy and Sharon. Look out for Osbourne portraits on the bedroom walls, one detail along with dancing gingerbread men and heraldic shields that make Nigel Hook's designs such a delight.

Ever breaking panto boundaries, Berwick goes multi-media for the second-half highlight: a fast-track film sequence that sends pram-pushing comic dimwits Rank and File (Richard Kay, Garry Lock) hurtling through York's streets. Dr Kaler, he'll never fail'yer.

Updated: 13:17 Saturday, December 14, 2002