AND then there were two. York Theatre Royal’s In The Round ensemble season has gone from the big-cast epic drama of Arthur Miller’s The Crucible in May to Tom McGrath’s chamber piece, Laurel & Hardy, in the autumn.

It is essentially a two-hander for long-faced Stan Laurel lookalike Martin Barrass and comedian and pantomime star Andre Vincent’s Oliver Hardy.

However, that would be a disservice to musician, musical director and arranger Christopher Madin, who contributes gamely and resourcefully throughout, and Ethel the Chimp, ever present for monkey business, whether lounging on a bed or placing protective sheeting on the front row of the audience for a splish-splosh slapstick scene. Oh, and should you be wondering who is inside that hot costume, step forward artistic director Damian Cruden.

Cruden, Barrass, Madin and stage and costume designer Liam Doona first mounted a production of McGrath’s affectionate portrait of the double act at Hull Truck Theatre 20 years ago, and they now reunite to present this memory play on a bigger stage. They are joined by Vincent, like Barrass a member of the Sons of the Desert, who has loved the antics of Laurel & Hardy since childhood and needs little invitation to roll out a Hardy impression.

You are first struck by the set: everything is white, from suitcases and the floorboards to pop-up tables and doors, except for the dark bed posts and piano, the effect being to create a black-and-white world matched by the clothes. In part, this is an acknowledgement of Laurel & Hardy’s silver-screen era, but it also emphasises that Stan and Ollie are stuck in a waiting room somewhere between death and eternity.

At their own pace, in no particular hurry, much like Vladimir and Estragon in Samuel Beckett’s Waiting For Godot, they reflect on their lives, loves and losses, giving an insight into their beginnings and the magic of their partnership, as well as their off-screen relationships and personal heartaches.

Madin’s accompaniment on piano and recorded strings is a constant delight, sometimes serving as a musical Greek chorus, other times complementing the comedy routines, song and dance and slapstick.

McGrath skilfully interweaves all these elements while capturing the essence of Laurel & Hardy’s timeless appeal: harmless fun full of charm and wit and perfectly timed interplay.

Both Barrass and Vincent spend their winter months mucking around in pantomime, but the timing needed for the routines here is of the slow-build variety, especially in the painting and window-fitting scene, where a whirring saw has you wondering what they might do to each other.

Their love for Laurel and Hardy shines through abundantly, and their performances are not merely spot-on impersonations and well bonded but full of pathos too, leading to a moving finale to Cruden’s hugely enjoyable production. The finest of fine messes, you might say.

Laurel & Hardy, York Theatre Royal In The Round, until November 5. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk