![](https://www.sardinesmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/FLxp0jFXoAMXaVj.jpg)
Show: Yes, Prime Minister
Society: Barnes Community Players Ltd
Venue: OSO Arts Centre
Credits: Anthony Jay & Johnathon Lynn
Type: Sardines
Performance Date: 17/03/2022
Yes, Prime Minister
Sardines popped in on Barnes Community Players tonight to see how it dealt with Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn’s political and hyper-relevant comedy, Yes, Prime Minister. The biggest laughs of the night came from the audience’s recognition of how relevant the satire is when comparing it to today’s various goings on, whether it’s Putin the Madman invading Ukrane, Brexit or our own Prime Minister’s views on various matters of state, such as oil!
Perhaps I should have said the ‘only’ laughs of the night, as unfortunately much of the comedy from the long-running TV series was arguably lost via a cast who didn’t really possess the understanding of their respective roles or indeed the acting skills to have full effect. This is where being an amateur / non-professional director takes on another role in the form of acting tutor. Despite this aspect, the audience was full, loyal and, I have no doubt, extremely appreciative. Having said that, and not having met Terry Oaks, I can’t say one way or the other. What I can say is what a fabulous job BCPs do as a fundraising, charity-donating theatre company.
The Nigel Hawthorne role of Sir Humphry Appleby – played by Ashley Brown – takes top honours… featuring a prize-winning moustache. No, he didn’t have Hawthorne’s fast-paced wit and Blackadder-style dialogue as the aide who advises the PM, like a puppetmaster. But he was full of bluff and bluster as he made the role his own. I can’t say more about the cast for fear of getting personal (or being accused of getting personal). The premise is a simple one really; the PM is a touch daft and only remains where he is thanks to the quick thinking of Sir Humphry. It was thanks to the latter’s advise which took him from a mere minister to the top job after all.
The plot centres around oil, just like today, and the plan to pay £10trillion for a pipeline to deliver the black stuff to the UK (no, not Guinness!). The crazy map of the pipeline, as seen at Chequers, visits every country in Europe before arriving in the UK. However, the man in question – who has the final say on lending the UK the £10trillion – wants a bevvy of scantily-clad women as part of the deal. Cue the PM’s political dlemma (the PM is also female in this instance, although how Gemma Hacker ever got to be Prime Minister, goodness only knows). I never thought I’d ever say this, but I think I’ll take Boris Johnson thank you very much. Any more and I’ll also be accused of spoiling the story as well as laying into the performances.