Festival Theatre, Malvern – until 1st August 2026
Reviewed by Courie Amado Juneau
4.5****
Like many, many people I loved Yes Minister and the follow up Yes Prime Minister. So I was understandably excited to see this new stage play based on those beloved characters; I’m Sorry Prime Minister.
The show is a compact one – a one room set with (at most) 4 characters on stage – most of the time just 3. There’s not much in the way of action (well, the characters are rather old by the time we get to this iteration) so that’s not surprising. Speaking of which…
The story follows ex-PM Jim Hacker’s attempts not to be evicted from his rather cushy position as fellow at a University, with all the perks that includes (like a free house). Trouble is, he’s been rather loose and free with his speech so the students are revolting (he’s sure of that much). After a rather tricky ultimatum he does the sensible thing for a change and calls in the cavalry – Sir Humphrey, his old sparring partner.
Robert Kitson gives us a very different feeling Hacker to the original. I suppose it’s some years down the line so it’s understandable. Even so, it was a rather different approach that was fun but didn’t seem 100% in keeping. I did thoroughly enjoy the depiction of the inevitable health problems that plague persons of a certain age. And Robert did imbue the titular character with much charm and warmth.
Clive Francis brought Sir Humphrey to life with a marvelously impish quality. More playful than I remember but there were enough of the mannerisms to spark that fuzzy place in the heart. Especially wonderful was Clive’s delivery of the trademark long, meandering sentences that only one who has swallowed a dictionary for breakfast can muster. And some glorious slapstick with some errant underpants.
Princess Donnough was in many ways the pivotal character of the whole affair – being the thoroughly modern young lady in Hacker’s life who begins to teach him some harsh but long overdue life lessons. Very nicely played with just the right amount of subtlety to glue events together. An enjoyable performance.
William Chubb was mistaken early on as the Grim Reaper and I’m not sure they were far wrong. As the baddie of the piece Sir David was a fine adversary played with aplomb in this tale of the generational clashes of culture…
…which is at the heart of this play – explorations of the near history of British politics (yes, Brexit looms large), freedom of speech, woke-ness and the difficulties the older generations have with the demands of the younger generation (nicely harking back to other such TV classics as Bless This House). If it sounds rather dry and dull then please be totally reassured – it’s anything but! It was riveting throughout and I was hanging on every word of a witty and thought provoking script from writer and Director Jonathan Lynn.
So, it wasn’t perfect – although with such an iconic original to live up to it was never likely to be – but it was thoroughly engaging and enjoyable. It also had an ending that provided the feel good factor that nostalgic revisiting of past classics does best. Frankly, it gets my vote – and there’s not many ex-PM’s that can say that.