The last in the series of short lunchtime plays at the Focus Theatre, Pizza Boy by Pat Garret, operates on at least three levels, two of which work very well. A little over-ambition is by no means the worst of complaints, and the net result is a comedy of some verve and originality.

Mr Bloom, an obviously run-of-the-mill writer, is drinking and preparing for suicide when the doorbell is rung by a young man attempting to deliver a pizza. Bloom talks, the youth listens, and some very entertaining views on life and intellect are delivered.

Then Bloom's ex-wife appears, to utter some terrible tosh about love and the unimportance of her infidelity. He retains enough wit to dismiss her self-serving meanderings and returns to his debate with the pizza boy.

The last lap drifts into farce, topped off with a little metaphysics.

The energy in the writing is picked up with elan by Terry Byrne, who holds the play's centre with confidence in a bravura performance. Ciaran O'Driscoll does a good straight man to his filibustering and Lorraine Horgan plays the gormless wife without visible flinching.

Liam Halligan's direction makes the most of the play's best parts and glosses neatly over the rest.

Continues at the Focus Theatre until September 4th. To book, phone 01-6607109 or 01-6763071.