Sitcom Stories, the latest production from Room 5064 Productions, was a showcase of six short plays exploring the private lives of the stars of some of the classic British situation comedies from the 1950s to the 1980s (with one exception, which made the character rather than the actor the focal point). The production was raising funds for the Singing With Dementia charity and it was obvious that the evening’s entertainment was a true labour of love for all involved.
The performance was hosted by comedian Matt Seber, who seemed to be channeling a comedian from the now long-ago era of working men’s clubs – gravelly voice, jokes about his wife, one-liners (“I played a cricket match for an IBS charity once. We weren’t great at the bowling, but we soon got the runs…”; “I did a vegan joke once, but it was too quorny…”), and chuckles at his own pun-laden jokes. Seber’s introduction and bits in between the playlets (which cleverly covered the scene changes) helped the audience get into the spirit of the night which commenced with the first play, Fawlty Logic, written by Mark Griffiths and directed by Ross Kelly.
Fawlty Logic was a self-reflexive farcical piece, in which Connie Booth (played by Joanna Thorne) is contemplating divorcing John Cleese (Rob Stuart-Hudson) and is discussing the idea with her friend Tony Hutchinson (Adam Gardiner), “London’s top divorce lawyer,” when Cleese returns home earlier than expected. This surprise meant Booth had to shove Hutchinson under the kitchen table, where he remained throughout the rest of the play. During this, Cleese and Booth start throwing ideas around for their proposed sitcom which, it soon becomes apparent, will become Fawlty Towers. As Cleese, Stuart-Hudson nails the manic energy viewers recognise from his performance as Basil Fawlty, while Thorne managed well as Connie Booth, desperate to avoid Cleese from seeing she has been talking with Hutchinson. Gardiner managed to give Hutchinson a smooth, if somewhat slightly slimy, air about himself before being confined to the underside of the table. Fawlty Logic was an enjoyable farce which didn’t outstay its welcome.
Next was Dear Miss Mountshaft by Paul Magrs. This piece was the outlier of the night, rather than examine the life of one of the people connected with a sitcom, Magrs’ playlet focused on the character of Margot Leadbetter (originally portrayed by Penelope Keith and played here by Rachel Elliot-Newton) from The Good Life facing down an apocalypse. A single hander, the piece was a tour-de-force on every level: the script featured Magrs’ trademark ‘post-modern’ mix of camp comedy hiding a more sinister undertone (familiar to readers and listeners of his Doctor Who novels and audio plays) and he certainly captured Margot’s snobbishness and passionate belief in Conservatism, as well as her love and affection for her now-absent husband Jerry; Brainne Edge’s direction was impeccable with fantastic use of lighting and sound (especially when Margot is imagining how the world would have ended had atomic bombs been the cause of the unspecified catastrophe); and Elliot-Newton, while not physically resembling Penelope Keith, certainly captured the cut-glass accent and moves of Margot to a tee and was making the most of the role bringing forth both pathos and humour to what was a bleak situation for Margot to be facing. Of the six pieces, Dear Miss Mountshaft was the most accomplished.
The third work was called Hancock’s Eight To Ten Minutes, again written by Mark Griffiths and directed by Ross Kelly. Howard Whittock not only captured the voice, mannerisms, and even egotism of Tony Hancock, but bore more than a passing resemblance to “the lad himself.” Whittock’s performance was stellar and he was ably supported by Daniel Thackery as Hancock’s long-suffering producer Dennis Main Wilson and Steve Cain as Sid James in the guise of an angel with a very dirty laugh. The piece’s premise sees Hancock throwing a tantrum and storming out of BBC Television Centre, getting knocked over by a van, and being given the chance to change his ways by an angel in the form of Sid James so Hancock can live a long and happy life. Of course, Hancock doesn’t, and the audience has been informed by the angel Sid where that leads (“Alone, in the other side of the world, ready to do yourself in…”). Hancock’s Eight To Ten Minutes is an entertaining work which really does gain extra humour and sparkle from Whittock’s Hancock impersonation.
Following an interval, the evening picked up with Whatever Happened? By Sean Mason and Brianne Edge and directed by Edge. This piece featured Rodney Bewes (played by Lloyd Peters) meeting James Bolam (Stephen Aintree) in a pub where Bewes attempts to persuade Bolam to allow repeat runs of their sitcoms The Likely Lads and its follow-up, Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads? For Bolam, that’s all in the past and times have changed, whereas for Bewes the repeats offer income. The piece was well performed and very well researched (it mentioned the film version as well as the now-forgotten A Tribute To The Likely Lads from 2002, which featured Bewes appearing in a cameo role while his and Bolam’s parts were played by Ant and Dec). It did, however, feel slightly repetitive as it went on, although that may have been a clever part on the writers to make the audience sympathise with Bolam growing increasingly frustrated with Bewes’ pleading.
The fifth piece, The Rise And Fall Of The King Of Crumpsall, written and performed by Pete Gibson and directed by Sarah Wilkinson, saw Don Estelle (better known as Lofty from It Ain’t Half Hot, Mum!) tell his story of how he went from recognised sitcom star and performer of a number one single (Whispering Grass) to busking outside Cheetham Hill Woolworths. Gibson’s performance was very strong, and his script genuinely pulled at the heartstrings. Of the six playlets, this one was the saddest and most emotionally involving.
The final playlet of the night was No, Prime Minister, written by Ian Winterton and directed by Sean Mason. This piece, based on real events, sees Jonathan Lynn (played by James Oates), co-writer of the sitcoms Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister, being paid a late night visit by Bernard Ingham (David Slack, sporting a ridiculously over the top wig) and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (played by Carly Tarett), ahead of a performance of a sketch based on the TV series which Thatcher had written and was going to perform (with two of the Yes, Prime Minister cast members) at an event for Mary Whitehouse’s National Viewers And Listeners Association. Tarett was pitch-perfect with her vocal impersonation of Thatcher, while Slack cut a suitably imposing figure, and Oates was given a passionate speech about Thatcher’s government (which, tellingly, could easily apply to the government of 2018). No, Prime Minister was amusing and political without being too preachy (which is a good trick if it is pulled off correctly).
The evening ended with Seber coming onstage and repeating his opening delivery, complete with moments of going off-stage to remember what he was saying. Whereas first time round, this action seemed to belong to a comedian who was returning to performance after a lengthy break, the appearance of Gibson as a care worker hammered the point home: Seber’s a one-time comedian who now suffers from dementia. As a way of reminding the audience of why this night was being put on, it was faultless – the message embraced perfectly in the medium of performance.
Overall, Sitcom Stories was a hugely enjoyable tribute to the classic British sitcoms of yesteryear and was being staged with the very best of intentions: to raise money for a very worthy cause. Nostalgic, entertaining, and with a heart of gold, more nights like this would be very welcome indeed.
Reviewer - Andrew Marsden
on - 8/2/19
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