‘Allo ‘Allo 2 – The Camembert Caper

Taking my seat for the BSEODS’ production of ‘Allo ‘Allo 2 – The Camembert Caper at the Theatre Royal in Bury St. Edmunds was a highly anticipated experience. Having previously portrayed Gruber in a rendition of “‘Allo ‘Allo” a few years back, I have a profound appreciation for this comedic concept and eagerly awaited this sequel. BSEODS productions are synonymous with quality acting, carefully planned direction, and well-designed sets. This performance upheld those standards admirably. A huge congratulations to Tom Hitchcock and the entire production team, who brilliantly brought the beloved characters from the 1980s TV show to life. The casting was superb!

The versatile use of the stage was particularly impressive, effectively creating a café, a bedroom, an outdoor French village square, and two German offices. Ingeniously, a piano and door were used centre stage to simulate an exterior wall to the café without actually erecting one. I might have considered having the town square entrance more downstage to expedite some entrances and exits—especially during scenes at the station or the general’s house in Act 2—the distance occasionally hindered the pace.

The cast was exceptionally strong. The ensemble's fluidity as they drifted in and out of street scenes and the café, seamlessly moving props and furniture, was a joy to watch.

In this sequel, the airmen assumed more prominent roles, and Richard Ashby and Tony Stoke superbly recreated their characters’ jovial, spiffing, and somewhat slapstick mannerisms.

The German forces, led by General Von Klinkerhoffen (Stuart McLellen) and Colonel Von Strohm (Chris Hempenstall), convincingly portrayed their roles, with costumes that were spot-on. Lieutenant Gruber (Daniel Greenwood), in particular, delivered his lines perfectly and added humorous touches with subtle looks and gestures that had the audience in stitches. Captain Geering (Phill Cockell) excelled in his portrayal, including the slightly out-of-sync response to "Heil Hitler," closely mirroring the TV show's characterization both in terms of vocal quality and physicality.

Yvette (Angela Berry) and Officer Crabtree (Joe Pointon) delivered stellar performances. I sometimes felt Crabtree's dialogue could have been even more silly based on my memory of the original ‘Allo ‘Allo play, but this might have been more the script than the actor.

Other notable cameo roles included Monsieur Leclerc (Ashley Seaborne), whose physical theatre was hilarious, Madame Fanny La Fan (Sarah Brodie) who patiently acted throughout the whole show in her bedroom and Herr Flick (Hugh Weller-Poley) and Private Helga (Jess Hughes), both very reminiscent of the original TV show in their performances. I want Helga’s character to have more dominatrix elements, but still a good job.

Turning to the café folk, Edith Artois (Mandy Morrish) gave us a delightfully tone-deaf performance, matching the rest of the cast’s strength. Michelle Dubois (Kat MetCalfe) and Mimi Labonq (Emma Marsh) were both phenomenal; their portrayals were so close to the TV show that I momentarily forgot they were not the original actors. Mimi’s stompy walk was priceless – what a stand out performance!

Our main protagonist, René Artois (Colin Musgrove), the café owner and the linchpin of the narrative, was exceptional. To say he was fantastic underrates his performance. He not only looked the part but also acted as if he had originated the character. Even when breaking the fourth wall and interacting with the audience, his occasional verbal mishap (such as “Monday night” instead of “Saturday night”) were delivered with a confidence as if they were meant to happen. A true tour de force, René, along with the entire cast, deserved the lengthy applause from the Theatre Royal's enthusiastic full house.

Although I found the pacing during Act 2 somewhat drawn out, this seemed more due to the script's superfluous elements rather than any fault of the actors or director. Nonetheless, I thoroughly enjoyed this production and left feeling nostalgic, as though I had returned to my childhood Saturday nights spent watching this cherished family comedy on television. Congratulations to all involved in this fantastic production and thank you to Mel Barnes for hosting me once again.

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