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★★★
The final chapter in the ‘Yes, Prime Minister’ franchise ‘I’m Sorry, Prime Minister’ is currently touring the UK, direct from a West End run at the Apollo Theatre. The original television programme written by Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn was extremely popular during the 1980s, and this success has spawned two stage adaptations over the years: Yes, Prime Minister and the currently touring I’m Sorry, Prime Minister. The script for the latter revisits the iconic characters of Jim Hacker and Sir Humphrey Appleby, but this time they are experiencing retired life. With former Prime Minister Jim Hacker now a College Master at Oxford and Sir Humphrey Appleby temporarily admitted to a care home, the pair reunite to try and save Hacker’s job after a series of incidents and faux pas, and in turn end up reminiscing about their political careers and reflecting on how the world has evolved over the years. The play is at the Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury this week and I had the opportunity to review the show on opening night.
Comparisons to the source material
Unlike other screen-to-stage adaptations, I’m Sorry, Prime Minister doesn’t require extensive prior knowledge of the source material. I have only watched a few episodes of the original series, but the characters of Jim Hacker (Dominic McChesney) and Sir Humphrey Appleby (Clive Francis) are so recognisable, that you instantly feel like you are watching the familiar personalities on stage. I can’t fault the performances, with Francis in particular absolutely fantastic as the precise Civil Servant, delivering exceedingly complicated one liners with exquisite clarity, met at the end by Hacker’s simple “what”.
Thoughts on the narrative
That being said, for me the play lacks depth in the narrative. It feels very much like a reunion between two old friends, with plenty of jokes and some physical comedy thrown in, where the humorous conversations outweigh the storyline. It could also be perceived as an entirely new piece of narrative that isn’t hugely related to the original series, and might leave fans of the franchise a little disappointed. The dialogue-focused script is nostalgic and offers some nice closure for fans, but as a standalone piece of theatre it is missing something for me – whether that be the energy on stage, somewhat limited storyline or lulls between the scene changes.
Bringing the material into the 21st century
Something I thought was done really well was the decision to include the character of Sophie (Princess Donnough): Jim Hacker’s care worker. One of my biggest thoughts going into the show was how would the writer Jonathan Lynn address the changes that have happened throughout society since the original broadcasts, especially as some of the commentary could be perceived as dated. The introduction of the younger character forces the characters to reflect on their actions on stage in real time and see how points of view contrast between the generations. This is refreshing and opens the door to some important discussions about the need for change.
Overall thoughts
Even though I don’t believe I’m Sorry, Prime Minister quite works as a standalone piece of theatre, there is plenty to enjoy and I believe the creative team have approached the changing times with sensitivity. It will certainly appeal to a younger audience, thanks to these amendments. The play is at the Marlowe Theatre until Saturday 20th June, before continuing on its UK tour. Last minute tickets can be purchased via the theatre’s website.
*My ticket for ‘I’m Sorry, Prime Minister’ was gifted in exchange for an unbiased review.
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