The play is basically a farce as is all of Ray Cooney's writings. He has written plays in the genre of farce for over thirty years and so is well experienced in the technique.

The plot of Out of Order runs like this. A Cabinet Minister's plans an illicit evening in a London hotel. The evening however comes to an abrupt halt when he and the lady involved find a dead body in the bedroom. If the Cabinet Minister is involved in the scandal, he knows that he would bring disgrace on the government and his marriage could fail. And so, he sets about trying to cover up the body.

The characters are all eminently recognizable. Richard Willey the Cabinet Minister is suave and successful. His mistress, Jane Worthington, is an attractive but dizzy blonde, and a secretary in the House of Commons serving the opposition party and in particular it's Leader.

Getting caught up in all the action is the hotel waiter in the Hotel. The man is a adept wheeler-dealer and uses every opportunity to obtained hush money. As he pops in and out of the action, he manages to deliver some quick and funny one-liners. The whole thing on the other hand confuses the maid. She is from the China and can speak little English. The Manager of the Hotel is a pompous and somber man with little or no sense of humor.

Further complications arise when Ronnie, Jan's jealous arrives. More characters arrive in the next act to add more confusion and mayhem, Richard's wife Pamela planning to surprise her husband. Richard's secretary then George tries to create a distraction by declaring his undying passion for her. The to top it all, in comes George's invalid mother complete with her nurse. The confusion builds up and up until no one can possibly know what is to happen next.

The action is fast filled with quick one-liners, sexual innuendo and slapstick action. It is very funny indeed. It will make you laugh out loud.