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