Reviews

Fans of the TV series ‘Allo ‘Allo will be very pleased with this very faithful recreation of the television series, by Jeremy Lloyd and David Croft, which contains all of the famous catch-phrases, and some of the series’ most iconic moments.

Peter Neaves appears to be in his element as central character, cafe owner Rene. He works nicely with Kate Elder who plays his wife Edith, in a nicely broad performance. Rene is also carrying on with both of his waitresses, well played by Lara Brunini (Yvette) and Georgina Kling (Mimi).

This production was a mixture of revue, pantomime and slapstick comedy. 

Originally written for a cast of five: Sherlock Holmes, Dr Watson and 43 other characters to be played by 3 people, the co-directors have augmented the cast to 9 very active performers.

In keeping with the various aforementioned genre, minimum props and scenery were used together with a plethora of wigs, costumes, (somewhat dubious) accents and a certain amount of cross-dressing to transport the audience around the Devonshire Moors.

There’s often a moment in the first minutes of an unknown show that you fear it’s not going to be good. When it’s unconventional, the fear is even greater. Will I be stuck here for the next hour-and-a-half for a show that I really won’t enjoy?

Whilst the stage play and later film, Born Yesterday, were written and set in post war America in 1946, Independent Theatre’s latest production reminds us how up to date the concept of questionable political and business partnerships remains. In the era of the “Me Too” campaign the misogyny and mobster-style brutality of the story is also poignant and highly relevant.