THERE’S an endearing almost whimsical charm to this wonderful tale of a most unique and unusual trans-Atlantic ‘relationship’.

This autobiographical tale of a purely platonic friendship begins just after the Second World War when a struggling writer in New York, Helene Hanff, requests a specific book be sent to her from what was, even back then, an old fashioned establishment.

That simple order spawned a 20-year correspondence between Miss Hanff, and the quintessential Englishman Frank Doel, who was the chief buyer for this most traditional of English bookshops.

Almost - but not quite - pen-pals, there was never a hint of romance contained in their correspondence. Especially with Frank’s great affection for his wife and two daughters.

It’s just the friendship of two people sadly never destined to meet in spite of Ms Hanff’s best intentions to travel.

There’s just a hint of fiction in this true story of this compelling friendship which creates such a welcome warmth of enjoyment from the audience as we meet two people with so much in common and all because of the written word and their love of particular Victorian literary offerings and their authors.

It’s almost as if we are intruding in their domain as letters and book orders go back and forth across the Atlantic with Ms Hanff so particular with her dollars and the exchange rate. Although quite acerbic at times she has a heart of gold and regularly posts food parcels to the staff at Christmas and Easter - all gratefully received, and they garner further messages from the rest of the staff.

Norman Coates’ two-in-one set design adds to the bewitching powers of the story. It so perfectly provides the inside of the bookshop to the extent that you could almost smell the musty books, while across the stage is the author’s considerably chaotic New York brownstone office where she sits at her old typewriter, while a cigarette and a glass of gin are never far away.

Hanff herself says of her book - which was dramatised on television, and then became a stage play and a film, that it breaks all the rules but it did bring her fame in later life and near immortality as the central figure.

The action is somewhat static, just a couple of locations and the majority of the dialogue is concerned with day-to-day events in a dusty second hand bookshop and becomes part monologue as the letters are acted out.

It all works unbelievably well containing as it does in the cast the Hollywood actress and Hart to Hart star, Stefanie Powers - reprising her role as the affable American, and that doyen of British stage and TV, Clive Francis as Doel.

Compelling portrayals from both had the audience eating out of their hands…

It was effortless and instinctive from each, and performed with great warmth and sincerity - much as in the mood of the letters, and they had excellent support from the rest of the cast who created a splendid ‘family atmosphere’ in their working environment.

Samantha Sunderland also impressed as the full-of-fun Cecily Farr, and so too did William Oxborrow in the more subdued and studious role of George Martin.

And there was one perfect poignant moment when Ms Hanff learned of Frank’s death after 20 years of exchanging letters.

Sadly number 84, the home of the bookshop run by Marks & Co in those post-war years is no more and when Ms Hanff finally visited London its shelves were empty and gathering more dust.

The address in the title of her tale of friendship ‘across the pond’ is now a McDonald’s fast-food outlet! A far from fitting final chapter.

However, you can bet your bottom dollar this is a little gem of a play in which director Richard Beecham has coaxed a performance of perfect nostalgia that deserves a stint in the West End where, hopefully, audiences will fill more seats than was evident at Monday night’s opener at the Festival.

Absent? Well you really missed out on a treat.

By Alan Wallcroft