Review: Yes Prime Minister, Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton,
It is almost three decades believe it or not since the original cast of Yes Prime Minister graced our TV screens, with its biting, satirical humour from the pens of Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn, who ventured where comedy writers had never dared to tread before.
The 2013 production at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre this week is fresh and topical, covering current issues, but with one exception - a rather laborious script. That said, so realistic is the scenery that you could be forgiven for thinking you had slipped back in time to the days of Winston Churchill.
Prime Minister Jim Hacker and his ridiculous side-kicks, Sir Humphrey and Bernard, are so anxious to secure an oil deal that they consider agreeing to fly three call-girls into Chequers, at the request of the visiting Kumranistan Foreign Minister, by royal helicopter.
The story line is a little sordid, as were the references to child poverty and illegal immigrants, but judging from the audience's reaction, considered very amusing by some nonetheless.
There is an outstanding performance from Michael Fenton Stevens in the title role, displaying all the frustration of a political puppet whose strings are constantly pulled by his advisers. Michael Matus is delightfully bumbling as the PM's principal private secretary, Bernard Woolley, but the evening really belonged to Crispin Redman whose portrayal of snake in the grass, Sir Humphrey is flawless.
As pure entertainment Yes Prime Minister has all the right ingredients to be a hit, but look a little deeper and it makes you realise just how dark and devious a game politics really is.
Runs until Saturday.
Alison Norton
