Discovering his ex-girlfriend Cindy (Samantha Robinson) in bed with her blind date Frank (Royal Court regular Alan Stocks), he sweeps the middle-aged postman along on a night of excess he is never likely to forget.

The chemistry between the two contrasting men crackles - at times they are almost a comedy double act - as they stagger from karaoke bar to burnt-out nightclub to A&E to penthouse apartment to a Speke wasteland on a Spartan set pimped up with projected footage filmed on location around the city's bars and clubs.

O'Neill's Vince teeters between boisterous clown and fist-swinging thug, seemingly just as unsure as the audience of which way he'll turn, while Stocks plays Frank with just the right amount of naivety and bewildered excitement.

A solid supporting cast switches accents and costumes to match their ever shifting personalities as they divide up the characters encountered on the odd couple's wild night out - among them a pink feather boa-ed hen party, a zealous street preacher and a barely caricatured pair of Scouse party girls.

Matt Wilde's directing brings out the natural comedy in Robert Farquhar's witty script - one of the last pieces of new writing to be performed at the Everyman's current incarnation before its demolition and subsequent re-build begins later this year.

A thoroughly entertaining piece of theatre populated by memorable characters, Dead Heavy Fantastic encapsulates the energy and eager anticipation of a Friday night out without the disappointment of the morning after.

Four stars