The Ducky

For the characters in The Wall, DC Jackson's hit 2008 comedy, an escape from claustrophobic small-town life was about the only thing more desirable than a romantic encounter at the landmark of the title.

In this summer sequel, set a couple of years later, three of them find themselves at home in Stewarton while the fourth may be trying to find himself on a beach in Thailand ("He's not a sex tourist!" exclaims his little sister Norma, who is at times still operating on a mouth-first-brain-second basis).

For students Rab and Michelle, life beyond East Ayrshire's boundaries hasn't quite lived up to expectations, and family dramas at home are casting a shadow over the already slightly murky waters of local swimming spot around which the action takes place.

Poor wee Norma (Sally Reid) hasn't managed to leave, is out of her depth with hardman boyfriend Cooney (Jonathan Holt) and still gets a large share of the best lines.

The Ducky is every bit as funny as its predecessor, and along with the one-size-fits-all funnies about ball bags and gangsta neds Jackson has slipped in a few sly nods to the superior intellect of bam philosopher Rab (Finn den Hertog).

The social commentary is deftly woven into the dialogue in a way too few playwrights attempt - Cooney's casual reference to an impending "Muslim apocalypse" is left hanging in the air and Norma's set of explanations for a teenage fumble manages to be both funny and heart-breaking, and arguably says more on the subject than a HEBS campaign ever could.