News Review
Yes Prime Minister - November
2018
“Yes Prime Minister at Detling Village Hall November 15-17
Detling Players presented “Yes Prime Minister” by Jonathan Lynn and
Anthony Jay, in the week that many of the issues raised in this
hilarious play were very topical: Europe, arguments in the governing
party, global warming and the Euro, to name just a few. Great timing.
This was a very professional production directed by Sue Sutton.
Prime Minister Jemima Hacker was played with immaculate timing by
Clare Pearce. Her comedic facial expressions and mannerisms were so
true of what would be expected of this female leader facing off to an
arrogant Permanent Secretary.. Her mimicking of Sir Winston
Churchill, during the TV interview, was particularly funny and
believable.
Stephen Page’s rendering of Sir Humphrey Appleby as an aloof and
pompous senior Civil Servant was superb. His strutting and pumped
up sense of his own importance was portrayed to a tee, as were the
completely and deliberately confusing speeches he made to try to
mislead the Prime Minister. Claire and Steve worked brilliantly
together.
Newcomer Cameron McColm played the academic and morally
challenge Bernard beautifully. Cathy Spain was a good foil to Bernard
and Sir Humphrey and Darren O’Connor and Sandra Stanley added
real colour to the production as the culturally challanged Ambassador
and the BBC interviewer driven off course by a dominant PM. Finally
Dicky Dawson managed anger, frustration and weakness in his scene
as the BBC Director General.
As always there was an excellent well lit and dressed set suggesting
the grandness of Chequers and the use of cameras and TV screens for
the interview ws very innovative and authentic. The costumes too
were excellent, providing Jemima in particular with a number of great
changes.
Altogether a very good production enjoyed by around 250 people.
Jan Kennard
©Detling players 2016