Ralph Fiennes made a surprise appearance

And the critics have given the show a unanimous thumbs-up.

"Incredibly funny," wrote Jonathan Myerson in the Independent - while the Times' Caitlin Moran called it "96% genius".

Triumph

The Daily Mail's Michael Coveney said it was "the funniest and most inventive new comedy of the year".

Branagh's directorial triumph comes a day after winning an Emmy best actor award for his role in the film Conspiracy.

Richard Briers: "Just a lovely, lovely show"

The Play What I Wrote has also earned plaudits for comedians Sean Foley and Hamish McColl - who star in the show.

The play, written by Foley and McColl - and based on material by Morecambe and Wise scriptwriter Eddie Braben - centres on the duo's attempts to get a real-life celebrity to appear in one of Ernie Wise's own appalling plays.

Stars

Branagh has lined up a series of surprise celebrities to make an appearance during the play's run at the Wyndham Thetare - including, it is reported, Victoria Beckham and Kylie Minogue.

Other said to be in discussions with the play's producers include actors Richard E Grant, Keanu Reeves and Jude Law, model Naomi Campbell and comedian Frank Skinner.

Kenneth Branagh directed the tribute

On Monday night film star Ralph Fiennes guested.

Fiennes told BBC Breakfast: "It seemed like a fun thing to do, and the script is very funny and the guys are amazing."

Actor Richard Briers, who was in the audience for the opening night, said: "It's so funny we all laughed for one hour and 55 minutes without stopping - it's just a lovely, lovely show."

Morecambe and Wise were one of the best-loved comedy acts the UK ever produced, and appeared regularly on BBC TV for many years.

Eric Morecambe died in 1984, and Ernie Wise in 1999.