THE double bill of Peter Shaffer's two short plays Private Ear and Public Eye promised excitement, belly laughs and comedic brilliance.

Little could the audience expect that, just 20 minutes into the first piece (Private Ear), the giggles would cease unexpectedly as the decidedly light-hearted plot and glut of gags took a much darker, self-indulgent turn.

Private Ear began well enough, as gauche young man Bob (Steven Blakeley) invites a woman he met at a classical music concert, Doreen (Siobhan O’Kelly), to his poky bedsit in Belsize Park.

He is so lacking in both confidence and experience that he invites his self styled lothario of a friend, Ted (Rupert Hill) to spice the evening up with good food and, hopefully, a few tips on wooing the fairer sex.

As the evening progresses, it becomes ever more apparent to Bob that Ted isn’t the selfless angel he claimed to be, as he monopolises the conversation and begins to woo Doreen with no little panache. This manifests itself as a series of long, self-important monologues concerning, and the relationships between, love, reality and art.

Given the audiences' less than impressed reaction - at least three people fell asleep in the grand circle during the performance, it is safe to say the drastic change in tone and direction, after a promisingly farcical start- failed to captivate some.

While the first play was muddled and far from successful, the second (Public Eye), was a real breath of fresh air.

The transition between the plays was especially well handled, as the actors changed costumes, they cleared the stage of props, transforming a grungy bachelor pad into a handsome office.

The premise of Public Eye is intriguing. Accountant Charles Sidney (Jasper Britton) hires a private detective to tail his wife so as to investigate possibly adulterous behaviour on her part. Eventually things take an entirely unexpected turn and the initial balance of power is turned on its head with comedic results.

Steven Blakely shines as the unassuming inspector Julian Cristoforou, who eventually reveals himself as authoritative, not to say conceited yet ultimately well-meaning.

His robust performance is the glue which held the performance together, though Siobhan O’Kelly's lively and youthful portrayal of a wife at a loss to save her marriage is also a hoot.

Although Public Eye saved the day-or night in this case- piquing the interest of the audience and keeping them engaged this time (the three sleepers were alert throughout the second half of the evening).

It may not have been enough to fully rescue the audience from the boredom, which had well and truly set in by the end of Private Ear.