Dad’s Army: The Lost Episodes

Published Tuesday 19 February 2008 at 17:30 by Graham Williams

If the title is something of a misnomer - only two of the four episodes re-created here are truly lost, the tapes having been wiped as part of the BBC’s archive purge in the sixties - then this production does at least enable theatregoers to savour the delights of a classic sitcom which epitomises the old adage that they don’t make ‘em like that any more.

Timothy Kightley, as a splendidly blustering and pompous Captain Mainwaring, leads a 15-strong cast in this smartly conceived piece of theatre which is clearly a labour of love for all concerned.

Happily, no liberties have been taken with the content or format of the original - the distinctively nostalgic linking of music from the likes of Flanagan and Allen, Vera Lynn and Gracie Fields still plays its part, and the portrayals of the characters skilfully mirror the original small-screen incarnations without relying too heavily upon outright impersonation.

Theatrical purists who all too often regard television-inspired stage shows with suspicion - misguidedly so, in this reviewer’s opinion - need have no fear of feeling short-changed. In spite of its origins, this production exploits the language and vocabulary of theatre to great effect, and the minimalistic set design by Nancy Surman captures the essence of the familiar settings - the church hall, the Vicar’s office, the bank, etc - without being overly literal or detailed.

My only misgiving - albeit a very minor one - is that none of the stories chosen for adaptation feature female characters, so that Mrs Fox, Mrs Pike and Mrs Yeatman (to name but a few) are conspicuous by their absence. Indeed, where two women do briefly appear on the fringes of the action, they are played by a male actor in drag - a curious artistic decision which might hopefully be re-assessed for future tours.

Female impersonation notwithstanding, this is great fun for die hard fans and newcomers alike, and it is to be hoped that it sets a trend for further stage adaptations of well-loved shows. Dinnerladies, anyone?