The Reverend Stephen Normand never tires of watching the hit musical Mack and Mabel even though he has seen the show more than 200 times.

He says it helps keep the memory of his great aunt Mabel Normand alive.

Broadway hit Mack and Mabel tells the true story of the great silent movie comedienne who allegedly taught Charlie Chaplin the art of comic timing.

Mr Normand has watched productions of the musical staged all over the world and has given his approval to the version currently showing at the Theatre Royal in Brighton.

He said: "I see the show whenever I can and this production was one of the finest I have seen by an amateur company, particularly the costumes and choreography.

"I made a promise to the show when it was first devised to watch it as often as I could."

Mr Normand, vicar of St Leonard's Church in Horsham, never met his famous aunt who died in 1930, but grew up among her belongings and memorabilia from her film career.

As her only living relative in Britain, he is responsible for the estate and the reputation of the star who died at 36 after years suffering from tuberculosis.

When the show was written in 1972, Mr Normand was heavily involved in the production and watched its debut run on Broadway every night for two months.

The musical depicts Mabel's affair with film director Mack Sennett.

He said: "I don't tire of seeing it because the actors bring a little of themselves to the character so it is always different. There is always something added to each show."

Mack and Mabel, which includes songs like I Won't Send Roses and Time Heals Everything, became widely-known in Britain in 1984 when ice skaters Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean won Olympic Gold after dancing to the music.

Mack and Mabel, by the Brighton Theatre Group, closes at Theatre Royal tonight at 7.45pm.