WHEN grumpy old Uncle Pumblechook calls and announces a night free of Christmas malarkey, overgrown fairies and bewigged, heavily made-up grand dames and shrieking desperate kidult humour, I come a-running, writes Zee Gaines. My expectations are great, as ever, with the consistently high standard at Brockley Jack Theatre.

Great Expectations, Charles Dickens' charming story of the young Pip and his rise to the status of a gentleman thanks to a mysterious benefactor, is a warming relief on a frosty evening.

Early nineteenth-century social etiquette and manners are explored through Pip's relationship with his friends and the capricious "I have no heart" Estella.

It is Hugh Leonard's brilliant adaptation which welcomes us with tailor-suited arms into the much-loved Dickensian world as we follow Pip into adulthood.

An escaped convict scrambles across the stylish stage and is cared for by a thoughtful young Pip, setting the atmospheric scene for an intricate plot.

The lesser talents of the boy (Bridget Collins) thankfully is replaced by the man (Steven Alexander) with a smooth transition and expert direction.

Dickens' wonderful characters leap off the page with commanding performances such as William Ludwig's Jaggers. Light humour is provided by Daniel Brennan, who also plays the hilarious and under-used Aged P.

These quirky caricatures lend themselves to humour which could have been exploited more.

The capitalist Herbert and the ghostly Miss Haversham, with her choked laugh stuck in her throat by secrets Jaggers keeps, are all enthralling.

Hints about the evils of money offer a glimpse into a time gone by and remind us how, along with Pip, we too can never escape our past. Perhaps it even suggests we may not want to. If only it were still believed "A debt is a mark of a gentleman", Christmas would be so much easier.

Fortunately ticket prices at the Jack don't bust the credit limit. So, join Dickens for some festive cheer.

Until Jan 5. Brockley Jack Theatre, Brockley. Box office 020 8291 6354.