Allo Allo 2 - The Camembert Caper

This episode of the popular 80s TV series, directed by Colin Aldous, was written by Jeremy Lloyd and David Croft and adapted for the stage in 2013 by David Lovesy, David Pibworth and Steve Clark. Judging by the sell-out full houses for every performance at the Library Theatre it doesn’t appear to have lost any of its appeal, despite the TV series ending in 1992, 33 years ago! With the rich pool of comedy actors that LBDG have at their disposal, and their ability to attract new talent, this was an ideal project for them to tackle.

In this episode containing the usual, implausible but hilariously familiar plots, involving hiding British Airmen and the hairbrained schemes by the Resistance to repatriate them, a corrupt German General demanding 50,000Fr in compensation for the loss of ‘The Fallen Madonna With The Big Boobies,’ the money subsequently hidden in a Camembert cheese, a considerable amount of infidelity by almost everyone, and all the usual familiar characters from Herr Flick to Officer Crabtree, Yvette, Mimi, Monsieur Leclerc, to Rene and Edith Artois themselves.  It certainly was a nostalgic evening of a much-remembered comedy classic.

The basic set, managed by Mike Ward was of course the café of Rene Artois, very well done with a well-stocked typical French bar stage left and various tables and chairs set around the floor of the stage. The entrance from the street to stage right and a staircase to the rear leading to Edith’s mother, Madam Fanny La Fans’ bedroom. It depicted Rene’s café perfectly. The second scene, done in front of the half-tabs was Colonel Von Strohm’s office, depicted using two trucks with a flat wall, on each various military notices and maps were attached and a Swastika hung between them and a desk for the Colonel placed in front of it. It was the one scene change the hardworking backstage crew struggled with however.  Obviously more complicated than it looked? To depict Fanny’s bedroom, a bed was simply put against the back wall of the café with all the chairs and tables removed. And to stage right on the corner of the forestage permanently on display was Herr Flick’s Dungeon, complete with a table and chairs and a Swastika behind it. Other scenes such as the railway station and the Chateau were done in front of the tabs. Excellent job of set construction by Mike Ward, Colin Delamore, Phil Pope, Colin Aldous and the members of the group.

Lighting and sound design was by Dave Miles, supported by Rob Taylor, which was, as per usual, spot on cue. One clever piece of lighting was the use of a blue light for the stage crew to change sets, subsequently blacked out to then switched back on a few seconds later to a fully lit set. Clever idea and much better than straight blackouts (well, in my opinion!)

Costumes by Sheena Ward might have been taken straight out of the BBC costume department as they were as like the original as I can remember. From French berets to German uniforms all the parts were superbly well kitted out. But for stand out costuming the disguises for the two airmen were absolutely ridiculously hilarious.

What audiences come to see with these stage productions of TV sitcoms is how well the various actors manage to reproduce the original actor who played the part. The closer the depiction the more successful the show is likely to be. Well, LBDG had certainly been to acting school with that one! Some were obvious shoe-in’s for their parts and some really stepped up to the mark.

For the French Russell Bennett, in a reprise of his 2014 role as Rene certainly nailed Gordon Kay’s original with his mannerisms and accent from the moment he broke the 4th wall to give us the usual reprise of the implausible plot to come.  Caroline Page returned to the stage after directing the last two pantomimes to gives us a highly credible Edith. Phillip Ring, playing the undertaker Monsieur Alphonse, a character I’ve not seen before, certainly made his comedic mark with what I presume was all his own characterisation.  Jan Delamore was the bedridden, complaining Madam Fanny La Fan, with the radio underneath her bed. Newcomers to LBDG, Sarah Smerald and Jemima Fox were splendid dalliances for Rene, as Yvette Carte-Blanche and Mimi Labonq, playing away behind Edith’s back.  Now listen very carefully for Lorna Daggett will “Say zis only once!”. A highly amusing portrayal of resistance fighter, Michelle Dubois furtively plotting her next plan to repatriate the two British airman that is doomed to failure.  It’s tongue in cheek resume implies in the programme that Colin Delamore is playing himself as ‘old and confused,’ as Monsieur Leclerc. All I can say is, after this performance, never write off the old!

For the Germans, the very experienced Tony White was the corrupt General Von Klinkerhoffen and Paul Daggett was a very bullying Colonel Von Strohm, threatening to shoot all and sundry backed up by another newcomer, Mark Loughran playing Captain Geering in only his third role on a stage, although he is a NODA award winner for a previous role, so was well at home in this august company.  His memorable moment was hilariously landing on his backside when the General unexpectantly entered the room. Intended? Another memorable performance for this uniformed group has to be Todd Kramer, a very experienced British American actor in his first role for LBDG as the very effeminate Lieutenant Gruber, trying to get Rene into his ‘little tank!’ Stephen Burgess, yet another newcomer to LBDG gave us a great performance as the iconic but way off the pace Herr Flick, never quite able to get his hands on the British Airmen. And as for the comedic flirting with Herr Flick, also in her first role for LBDG, Laura Loughran was just Private Helga to a tee!

For the British, before I even saw the cast list I would have put my pension on Mark Croft playing Officer Crabtree with his natural comedic expressions, and of course he didn’t disappoint with the well-known classic spoonerisms and mispronunciations. ‘Good moaning’ is of course one the iconic phrases from the show and Mark the perfect person to bring it to life.  Karl Rachwal and Callum Adams as Flight Lieutenants Fairfax and Carstairs completed the British contingent with a series of fabulous comic disguises getting a huge laugh when the audiences realised that they were actually disguised as the two ‘ladies’ sat in Rene’s café in the opening scene.  Sophie Dean was the very authentic, wartime Radio voice.

Well done also to the supporting chorus of soldiers and peasants: Phil Pope, Simon Theodorou, Liz Rhodes, Stephan Bennett and Tania Amado Fish.

All in all, a very credible version of this classic comedy. Very well done indeed, so well done to Director Colin Aldous his cast and crew, I think you can be rightly proud of this one.

An interesting footnote. I was told that the three writers of this 2013 adaptation, David Lovesy, David Pibworth and Steve Clark had not seen the production performed on stage since its recent release by Concord Theatrical and came to the Thursday performance. I hope they approved of it as much as we enjoyed it?

Finally, many thanks to Ben and Colin for your usual top draw hospitality. Always appreciated!

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