Yes Prime Minister!

A November night but very warm welcome inside a busy hall, offering box office, bar facilities, teas, membership, a display of the cast in caricature form and programme sales.  The A5 programme had an impressive front cover outside ‘No 10’, with the four main characters, a message from the Director, a Cabinet Office Memo something a little different.

An excellent reproduction of the PM’s study at Chequers – original artwork from Carol Ardley was designed and built by Trevor Lewing and his team, with Jenny Turner responsible for set dressing and props. The wood panelling, book shelves, beautiful stained-glass panels, a single door, and double door into wallpapered corridor, with past PM photos hung, was perfect.  Angled was a solid desk with knee-hole, set with the red boxes and red telephone, a black leather settee and armchair on loan from local furnishers, a coffee table, slightly downstage a world globe placed on the small side table and a red upholstered chair completed the room.

Tom Edie oversaw great noises off, well-timed and realistic – telephone rings, introductory ‘London’ music, thunder, lightning etc. with John Veness on the natural lighting.  The technical expertise with the use of video camera and the plasma TV screen was first class with David Burchell as the voice of Newsreader Robin Simpson most effective, as was the live broadcast from the PM’s study at Chequers, with drama student Amber Rampling ably portraying Simone Chester the BBC presenter.

With a small majority, PM Jim Hacker lead the coalition cabinet.  Jim’s career is threatened, the pound’s sinking, likely collapse of a European Council Conference, 24hour TV, blackberries, The Daily Mail, The BBC etc. all to contend with. A lifeline – a very complex pipeline deal with Kumranistan to seal a treaty for a multi-trillion-pound loan! The Kumranistan Foreign Secretary arrives at Chequers and after a fine dinner of goulash. prepared by the ‘illegal’ cook, a request is made to Bernard Woolley (Jim’s Private Secretary), with moral implications. Oh, what to do? Sir Humphrey Appleby (Cabinet Secretary), with his astonishing, quite incomprehensible soliloquies, together with Claire Sutton (Special Policy Advisor) require decisions. A fast, furious farce from Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn the play takes place at Chequers over a weekend in the Autumn. ‘PC’ness went completely out of the window!

The PM is fraught, at times hiding under his desk, falling into his settee, and seeking comfort from alcohol. The deal falls into disarray when the KFS asks for not one but three ladies of the night!!  The two Civil Servants are trying to conceal the Treaty in the bottom of the red boxes, but Jim and Claire have discovered this and threaten a new civil service restriction on salaries.

The BBC DG visits, and Jim puts pressure on him to cut budget. Claire wrongly asks the cook’s daughter for favours, offering cash with their eventual arrest. They agree ‘no sex’. A Global Warming inspired agreement is the triumphant call – Jim holding a live BBC broadcast from his study.

On her debut, this rapid-moving comedy was competently directed by Aisling Edie.  Keith Miller had the responsibility of high office as PM -  forceful at times – his fast timing both in speech and ‘Basil Fawlty’ style falls was credible. Sir Humphrey played by Steve Hill – immaculately dressed, uttering totally incomprehensible language, tactical and dead panned was beautifully executed - another very wordy part. Bernard Woolley played by Tom Miller – well cast with good presence, as a moral man, straight faced, who tried to please all and pedantic Latin quotes. Clare Murray confidently portrayed Claire Sutton, the Special Policy Advisor – not always giving the right advise! Longstanding and much experienced member Roland Garrad played the ‘posh’ somewhat aloof Kumranistan Ambassador perfectly, attired in his gold dressing gown and carpet slippers, whilst returner Dick Kempson trod the boards once again in a good cameo role as the BBC DG, using wonderful pained expressions showing his exasperation.

With splendid support from all the unseen heroes, a most enjoyable, amusing evening’s entertainment.

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