The hype sounds bizarre. “The funniest show on the planet... Comic perfection”?

Oh come on. This is based on an improvised play The Servant of Two Masters written down by Carlo Goldoni in 1743 in Venice. How can it possibly be “a glorious celebration of British comedy”, as some claim?

Well, a million happy theatre-goers worldwide who have watched the play’s modern take can’t be wrong, and after seeing the National Theatre’s acclaimed production at the Wycombe Swan last night, I’m sold on it.

It’s certainly different from the norm of modern theatre. We have flashbacks to the farces of Brian Rix, elements of panto, a bit of rough and tumble, audience participation, and lots of nostalgic 60s skiffle music that isn’t part of the plot but bursts forth gloriously at every opportunity.

The story set in the 1960s is about Francis Henshall, who has been fired from his skiffle band and works as a minder to low-life Roscoe Crabbe. But he could do with more cash (the running gag is that he’s always hungry), so he takes on a second job on the side with ex-public schoolboy Stanley Stubbers.

There’s a complication: Roscoe is actually his twin sister Rachel in disguise, as the real Roscoe is dead, killed by her boyfriend Stanley who is on the run. And Francis is trying to ensure they don’t meet up and discover his two meal-tickets. The play did start a little slowly as the story was set up, but by the end it was hilarious.

While the storyline is true farce, this team of actors are superb every one. Star of the show is Gavin Spokes as the inept and bumbling Francis. Warm and funny, he also adds laughs with slapstick tricks like arguing with himself and knocking himself out, or falling back over an armchair while catching a sweet in his mouth.

He can ad-lib with the best too (a feature of early Venetian comedy, as the erudite programme notes explain). When he’s hungry and calls out, “Anyone got a sandwich?” someone in the audience holds one up, and it’s hummus. (I don’t think this was set up, but who can tell.) Those on stage act up to this twist.

There’s a long scene when Francis has to serve dinner to his two guv’nors in adjoining hotel bedrooms, swing doors playing an inevitable role. Michael Dylan as Alfie, a doddery ancient waiter, is hilarious.

As this is a large scale National Theatre touring show of the UK, the sets are brilliant. And the 60s music is a real bonus. A band of four shiny-suited young men play and sing with a skiffle board, bass and guitars, before the curtain goes up and at every scene change. Two shows for the price of one.

One Man, Two Guv’nors continues at the Wycombe Swan until Saturday, December 6. It’s a near sell-out but there are still some seats available at www.wycombeswan.co.uk or by calling the ticket office on 01494 512000.