“‘I HAVEN’T LAUGHED THIS HARD IN YEARS!’ — Anna Maxwell Martin’s Wildly Zany Downton Abbey Spoof Explodes Onto Screens as Critics Hail It ‘One of the Funniest British Comedies of the Decade’”!Anna Maxwell Martin is stealing the spotlight once again — this time with a brilliantly bonkers, totally irreverent parody that critics say delivers wall-to-wall laughs. The new Downton Abbey spoof has landed its first reviews, and they’re glowing: a “delightfully zany, hysterically funny” romp packed with razor-sharp wit, absurd aristocratic chaos, and the kind of deadpan brilliance only Martin can pull off. Viewers are calling it the freshest, funniest British comedy in years — a riotous send-up of period dramas that absolutely no one saw coming.

Fackham Hall, the Downton Abbey spoof starring Anna Maxwell Martin, has landed its first reviews, with critics calling the British comedy ‘one of the funniest in years’. Penned by comedian Jimmy Carr, who also stars as the village vicar, the film tells the story of a young porter who falls in love with the daughter of a well-respected family.

Joining Martin and Carr in the star-studded cast are Tom Felton, Sue Johnston, Tom Goodman-Hill, Katherine Waterston, Emma Laird, Ben Radcliffe, Thomasin McKenzie and Damian Lewis.

Per the synopsis, the film tells “the hilarious story of a pickpocket (Radcliffe) who blags his way into service at the grand Fackham Hall, only to fall for the Lord’s (Lewis) rebellious daughter (McKenzie) who is betrothed to marry another (Felton) to keep the family from financial ruin.”

Already out in US cinemas after its release today, comedy fans on this side of the pond don’t have long to wait as Fackham Hall is set to hit the big screen in the UK next Friday (12 December).

It looks to have been a hit with critics thus far, with Rotten Tomatoes currently reporting an impressive approval rating of 83% from 24 reviews, though it will need a few more logs to be certified fresh.

“A delightfully zany, irreverent and hysterically funny parody that will leave you in stitches. It’s one of the funniest British comedies since A Fish Called Wanda,” wrote NYC Movie Guru, while the Seattle Times called it a “pleasantly silly diversion”.

The New York Times was also positive in their review of the film, writing: “Directed by Jim O’Hanlon, Fackham Hall is enlivened by its cast of actors, who ride the waves of wordplay with a game commitment to the bit.”

“Fackham Hall delivers just over an hour and a half of nonstop gags in the form of puns, wordplay, bodily humour and slapstick stunts. And yet, it also somehow finds time for a dizzying amount of story,” wrote IndieWire.

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Related: Anna Maxwell Martin lands unexpected “powerful” new role for a good reason

The Hollywood Reporter said: “Fackham Hall is unlikely to enter the pantheon of great movie spoofs. But it offers sufficient laughs to amuse Downton Abbey fans.”

“It made me laugh, yes, and groan a time or two, but more importantly it took my mind off the world’s problems for 90 minutes,” wrote The San Jose Mercury News.

Fackham Hall is released in UK cinemas on 12 December.