ROALD Dahl was the master of the unexpected.

A genius with the written word when it came to whimsy, the weird and the whacky.

He created an imaginative menagerie of human characters he conjured up are time-less.

His many creations travel well and indeed age well.

That is the legacy of a writer born 100 years ago ..

And we all have our own Dahl favourites rom the sensitve to the sinister.

The Twits are reminscent of Harry Enfield's TV slobs - but this pair are even more grotesque and ghastly.

But they came first, of course.

So who are this terrible two-some?

Let the late, great Mr Dahl explain (see, I told you he was the master of the unexpected). 

"Mr Twit was born a twit. And now at the age of 60 he was a bigger twit than ever.

"Mrs Twit is equally as foul and she hates Mr Twit just as much as Mr Twit hates her".

Hardly Jane Austen, more EastEnders.

They live in a grubby caravan trailer, play nasty gams on each other and have a mutual disrespect (he puts a frog in her bed - she places her false eye in his beer).

Yuk!

They taunt creatures called the Muggle Wumps (adorable monkeys) which are kidnapped from their happy home.

They are played by four very good actor / musician / acrobats.

And there's a very engaging Roly Poly Bird (a hero) played on stilts by Jack Horner.

But how awful, dreadful and obnoxious are the Twits?

Well for 90 minutes - including an interval -  we gate-crash their horrible world.

All unfolds on a trailer set which captures their aversion to cleanliness. Health inspectors would have a field day Mr Twit (Robert Pickavance) himself in disgusting underwear and his deeply repulsive wife (Jo Mousley) in leopard-skin leotards also needs a make-over should anyone brave enough to go near them.

He has a beard that is spiky and smelly and it contains cornflakes and sardines and even stilton.

I feel nauseus even writing this - but it's OK, he is on stage well away from the audience.

Directed by Max Webster who worked on The Lorax at the Old Vic, we are in safe hands.

Storytelling is the cleanest part about it all.

The narrative and music are slickly balanced. the songs are very catchy indeed and a joy to sing aong to.

This joint venture by the Curve and Rose Theatre in Kingston is adapted by David Wood and does not disappoint from hilarious jaw-dropping start to frenetic but highly-satisfactory finish.

The audience particpation is compulsory to ensure the Twits get their comeuppance and te chidren lapped it up.

I have never seen youngsters so enthusiastic.

So is this for you?

What production promotion has this selling point?: "A mischieveous new show that promises to be just as disgusting as earth worms disguised as spaghetti ... a treat for all  the family".

Yes, that just about sums up this daft, very funny and totally enjoyable theatrical experience.

Dahl-licious

The show's Playhouse run ends on Saturday, February 25

Tickets are from 0151 709 4776.