David Benson (‘Goodnight Sweetheart’ and ‘One Man, Two Guvnors’) and Jack Lane (‘Wisdom of a Fool’ and ‘7 Days’) transport the audience right back to Walmington, working from original radio scripts – complete with sound effects, vintage music and all of Perry and Croft’s beloved characters and catchphrases. Highly acclaimed by critics and by audiences of all ages.
Featuring three episodes newly adapted for stage:
‘When You’ve Got To Go’
Prviate Pike passes his call-up medical A1 (in spite of his chronically bad chest, his painful sinuses, his weak ankles and recently acquired nervous twitch). At the evening’s parade, Mainwaring and the platoon decide to celebrate Private Pike’s departure with a dinner in his honor at the local fish and chip restaurant.
‘My Brother and I’
Just as Captain Mainwaring gives the go-ahead for a sherry party with local dignitaries, his drunken brother, Barry, turns up to spoil the occasion.
‘Never Too Old’
The final ever episode of ‘Dad’s Army’, originally broadcast on Sunday 13 November 1977. The wedding reception of Lance Corporal Jones and Mrs Fox is interrupted as the platoon are put on full invasion alert.
Jack Lane said, “We love ‘Dad’s Army’ as much our audiences do and it is a privilege for us to have the opportunity to share our delight in our nation’s best-loved sit-com with audience’s all over the UK, Our aim has always been to be as true to the original, in finding the voices and mannerisms of the characters, as possible. No messing about it with it or trying to be ‘cleverer than it was’ by sending it up.”
Sound Designer Daniel Barnes. Original Production directed by Owen Lewis. Produced by Engine Shed and Something For The Weekend.
Best-known for his performance as Noel Coward in the BBC’s classic war-time comedy ‘Goodnight Sweetheart’. David exploded onto the theatre scene with his first solo show ‘Think No Evil of Us: My Life With Kenneth Williams’, in 1996. The show became an instant classic, winning praises from audiences, critics and Dames Maggie Smith and Barbara Windsor for the accuracy of his portrayal as the ‘Carry On’ star. He followed this with a succession of solo shows on a wide variety of subjects, including Frankie Howerd, Dr. Johnson, the death of Diana Princess of Wales and an award-winning examination of the Lockerbie bombing.
David was a member of the National Theatre’s smash hit comedy ‘One Man, Two Guvnors’ with James Corden, playing 1,015 performances of the show. He appears in the film ‘Blade Runner 2049’ as a hologram of Liberace!
David was nominated for a BBC Audio Best Actor Award for his portrayal as Frankie Howerd in ‘Frankie Takes a Trip’.
David describes Dad’s Army Radio Show as “the best idea I ever had” and inviting Jack Lane to perform it with him, “the second best idea I ever had!”
Jack Lane
Jack founded Engine Shed Theatre Company in 2010. He soon adapted three episodes and two Christmas specials of the classic BBC sitcom ‘Steptoe and Son’ receiving approval from the original writers Ray Galton and Alan Simpson. In 2015 Jack premiered ‘Wisdom of a Fool’, a self-penned one-man play based on the life and career of comedy icon, Norman Widsom. The play opened to critical acclaim and was endorsed by Wisdom’s estate before embarking on an extensive tour.
Theatre includes: ‘A Christmas Carol’, ‘Dad’s Army Radio Show’ (Edinburgh Festival/National Tour), ‘Wisdom of a Fool’ (National Tour), ‘The Ambassadress’ (workshop), ‘Great Britain’ (ASM, Theatre Royal Haymarket), ‘Gretel and Hansel,’ ‘Cue for a Song’, ‘Steptoe & Son’, ‘From Turner To Houston’, ‘National Theatre Connections’, ‘Steptoe & Son Christmas Special’, ‘The Wizard of Oz’, ‘Aladdin’, ‘Peter Pan’, ‘Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens’, ‘Confusions’, ‘Annie’, ‘That’s
Entertainment’ (The Capitol, Horsham) and as Max Bialystock in ‘The Producers’ (The Hawth).
Film includes: ‘7 Days’ (Pixel Revolution Films)
TV includes: ‘Twirlywoos’ (BBC/Ragdoll)
Radio includes: ‘Casting the Runes ‘(Bafflegab Productions) and ‘Barbara Windsor Celebrates’ (BBC Radio 2)
Middlesbrough Theatre
15, 16, 17 July
LONDON
Crazy Coqs, Brasserie Zedel London
Thurs 29 July, Fri 30 July, Sat 31 July (+ mat)
Plus a livestream on Friday 30 July
https://www.brasseriezedel.com/events/dads-army/
Corn Hall, Diss
Friday 3 September
https://www.thecornhall.co.uk/shows/dads-army-radio-show/
Ashford Revelation
Saturday 4 September
https://revelationashford.co.uk/events/dads-army-radio-show/
Chequer Mead, East Grinstead
Saturday 11 September
Blackpool Grand
Wednesday 15 September
https://www.blackpoolgrand.co.uk/event/dads-army-radio-show
Alnwick Playhouse
Friday 17 September
https://www.alnwickplayhouse.co.uk/event/dads-army-radio-show/
Queens Hall, Hexham
Saturday 18 September
https://www.queenshall.co.uk/events/dads-army-radio-show
Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds
Tuesday 21 September
Town and Gown Theatre, Cambridge
Thursday 23 – Saturday 25 September
https://www.designmynight.com/cambridge/whats-on/theatrearts/dads-army-radio-show?t=tickets
Theatre Royal, Winchester
Tuesday 28 September
https://www.theatreroyalwinchester.co.uk/whats-on/dads-army-radio-show
New Theatre Royal, Portsmouth
Thursday 30 September
https://www.newtheatreroyal.com/performances/dads-army-radio-show/
Taunton Brewhouse
Friday 1 October
https://www.thebrewhouse.net/event/dads-army-radio-show/
Queens Theatre, Hornchurch
Sunday 3 October
https://www.queens-theatre.co.uk/whats-on/show/dads-army-radio-army-show-2/
Brook Theatre, Chatham
Thursday 7 October
https://www.medwayticketslive.co.uk/event/dads-army-radio-show
Hanger Farm Arts Centre, Southampton
Saturday 9 October
https://www.minsteadtrust.org.uk/charity/events/dads-army-radio-show/
Capitol Theatre, Horsham
Wednesday 13 October
https://www.thecapitolhorsham.com/whats-on/all-shows/dads-army-radio-show/15495
Burbage Festival, Leicestershire
Friday 15 October
Canterbury Festival
Thursday 21st October
Website:
www.dadsarmyradioshow.co.uk
