One of the biggest hits of recent years is being presented this week by Keighley Playhouse.

Father Ted creator Graham Linehan adapted the famous 1950s film to great acclaim and even greater hilarity.

He ensured the story – in which robbers hide out in the house of a dear old lady – worked really well on the stage.

In the original a cast of stars like Alec Guinness and Peter Sellers played five guys posing as musicians so they could plan their raid on a security van.

The Keighley production includes stars of the local stage who certainly do justice to these memorable criminal characters.

Peter Whitley, Mike Boothroyd, Geoff Whitley, Rick Greenwood and Dale Chadwick capture the peculiarities of their respective characters, while Janet Hardman is spot-on as aged widow Louisa Wilberforce.

Peter is particularly good – which you’d expect after his many, varied and brilliant stage portrayals recent decades – making gang leader Professor Marcus as sinister as he is funny.

There are many entertaining moments as the villains first try to keep out of the police’s clutches, then fall out in spectacular style – and “defenceless” Mrs Wilberforce finally wins the day.

The second act drags a little – a problem that afflicted the professional version too – but there’s still plenty to enjoy in a production by Kevin Moore that inventively transfers a complicated West End staging to the confines of the Playhouse.

• Until Saturday, 7.30pm. Call 07599 890769 to check ticket availability David Knights