Full frontal nudity at the National is one thing - but one might think that a quick ‘mooney’ at the height of John Godber's The Office Party at the Palace Theatre, Watford might at least make the resident Edwardian ghost Aggie blush - if not the audience. But the quick flash of bare flesh along with a few four-letter words were taken in the spirit in which they were offered -  a no holds barred view of the climate and culture in the confined world of an average office.

Advertising happens to be the business of the Chapman & Howard Group, but the characters are representative of the mixture of types who share daily coffee-machine dramas in offices everywhere. In a sexist mini-cosmos, we have Miss Sexy, Miss Style and Mrs I've-Missed-the-Boat working alongside Mr Macho, Mr Family Man, Mr Cool and Master Immature. There's much superficial hilarity and office banter, but basically everywhere people know each other without really getting to know each other. Until the office party ...

As Robert Jones' striking high-tech set gradually succumbs to party clutter spilling over from an adjoining room, so the characters, in wonderful party finery, wander in with wobbly knees, drooping hats and defenceless open minds and mouths. The snarling beasts who have emerged from the bar confess that none of them has actually experienced great sex "like you see on film." Caught up in party mood, two people who have felt mutual attraction allow themselves to realise what's happening and have to deal with it. The play shares the 'never again' sufferings of the morning after and leaves a bitter taste in the wake of much laughter.

Despite its nationwide success two years ago, Godber rewrote The Office Party for The Palace Theatre, cutting out chorus and stylistic posturing and fleshing out the characters to add a more comedic texture. Director Richard Lewis keeps the play moving with an excellent cast, performing a wacky ensemble piece with quickfire dialogue, lots of action and witty one-liners. The characters are spot on with Gaynor Faye's bubbly, sexy Pippa, Gillian Tompkins' mousy divorcee, Patti,  and Mandana Jones' sophisticated new girl, Jo. Michael Simkins' Gavin is the totally unlikeable two-faced boss of the outfit, Dan Swinton the young, likeable lad in awe of the stereotypes, Bob and Andy, William Ilkley and Iain Rogerson.