A total delight!
Dad's Army is the latest in the long line of sitcoms adapted for the stage, by the People's Theatre in Heaton, Newcastle Upon Tyne.
Like Blackadder, this is a huge production with many actors and actresses on board and spans multiple famous episodes from the tongue in cheek sitcom from back in the day.
The sets are well decorated as usual, the costumes perfect to represent the 1940s war effort. Even haircuts, facial hair and outfits, perfectly suit the period. There are two halves to the performance and what I counted as about four episodes from the show, perfectly tweaked for the stage.
All the acting was top notch, with most of the female cast occupying several roles, such as Nazi troops, or 40s pin ups. Most actors chose to mimic their on screen counter parts almost to a tee, whilst inputting their own style on the characters.
The crowd, almost certainly just about all familiar with the material, were absolutely loving it, laughing in all the right places, as the timing was superb.
Highlight performances include captain Mainwaring played by Steve Robertson, a veteran of peoples theatre shows. The character of Edith Parish (played by Helen Doyle with a performance that could easily slot into a carry on film and not look out of place) was great. Pike and Sgt Wilson (Roger Liddle) also had a strong showing, very true to their on screen counterparts.
Overall I had a blast and the performance went by quickly, which is always a good sign.
Playing every night from Wednesday 24th April - Saturday 27th April 2024. Anyone who has tickets is in for a great time.
*Photo credit: Paul Hood
Frank Cromartie Murphy
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