HOME makes its theatrical debut with The Funfair, a disappointing play by Simon Stephens, a writer whose work I just can't take to.

The script, while good in parts, has a touch of the amateurish about it and all too often he resorts to bad language to convey strong emotions among a largely unsympathetic bunch of characters.

While I'm certainly no lover of Mary Whitehouse and those of her ilk the liberal use of swearing in drama makes me switch off. Surely there's a more mature way of conveying a character's anger or angst?

The Funfair is a new version of Von Hovarth's piece Kasmir and Karoline - Cash and Caroline in this version. There relationship is volatile to put it mildly, with the uncomfortably possessive Cash watching her every move like a hawk. Caroline craves freedom at the funfair, where she can let her hair down and where she meets the lovably geeky John Chase.

Under the direction of Walter Meierjohann Ben Batt, Kate Moore and Rhodri Heur give strong and believable performances as Cash, Caroline and Chase, but the performance of the evening comes from Michael Ryan as Frankie, a low life so vile you'll find yourself hoping and praying he comes a cropper on the rollercoaster that thunders through the audience's imagination.

Visually, this is a stunning piece of work, from Meierjohann, whose Romeo and Juliet brought me out in goose bumps. But the play has too much wrong with it for me to go crazy about it.

Can anybody explain the era we're in or the miraculous recovery made by the slimy and seedy Billy Smoke? The freak show is also very disturbing and seems to have no relevance in this story of tempestuous relationships.

My affection runs deep for the Library Theatre and I'm sure better is to come from its successor but, and it pains me to say it, this was one funfair that left me feeling short changed.

- The Funfair is at Home in Manchester until June 13. The box office is on 0161 200 1500.

RICK BOWEN