A live recording of the stage production of three classic Dad's Army episodes is to be released on 16 January 2024.
Dad’s Army – The Radio Show features performers David Benson and Jack Lane doing their incredible impressions of the original cast, and bringing a trio of adapted television episodes hilariously to life, in front of a theatre audience.
Between 1973 and 1975, a total of 67 episodes of Dad’s Army were adapted from Jimmy Perry and David Croft’s original television scripts for broadcast on BBC Radio 4. The much-loved cast, which included Arthur Lowe, John Le Mesurier and John Laurie, recreated their screen performances for audio with reworked scripts by Harold Snoad and Michael Knowles.
However, 13 episodes were never recorded for the wireless incarnation. Three of those scripts have now been adapted, performed in the style of the original team by Benson and Lane, and recorded for posterity.
Dad’s Army – The Radio Show is now available to pre-order as a collector’s edition double CD (+ download for just £15.99) or digital download (only, for just £12.99) at www.bigfinish.com.
All editions also include 30 minutes of behind-the-scenes interviews and extras. This release comprises three never-before-heard adaptions of classic episodes:
When You’ve Got To Go – When young Private Pike gets his call-up papers, the platoon agrees to give the lad an appropriate send-off. Meanwhile, Mainwaring and Warden Hodges declare war in their contest to win the Town Clerk’s blood donor certificate.
My Brother and I – Mainwaring gives the platoon a firm dressing down on the subject of alcoholic intoxication, only to be confronted with his own past, in the shape of his boozy brother – much to Private Frazer’s delight.
Never Too Old – Corporal Jones is in love – but will the lady in question accept his proposal of marriage? The very last Dad’s Army episode.
Big Finish chairman Jason Haigh-Ellery said: “Dad's Army is one of Britain's most-loved comedies, and we are absolutely delighted to bring these adaptations of television episodes to life on audio at Big Finish, with the superb David Benson and Jack Lane perfectly capturing each of the characters we all know and love.”
Actor David Benson added: “Both Jack and I love Dad’s Army every bit as much as the audiences who come to see us. We are not trying to send it up, to modernise it or to muck about with it in any way. We just want to give the audience as authentic and accurate a performance as we can – to be as true to the character and tone of the original as possible.
“For us, the greatest compliment of all was when Penny Croft and the Croft family gave us their firm approval after coming to see the show on tour. We revere the work of their father so greatly, so when she said, ‘Dad would have loved what you are doing with his and Jimmy’s writing,’ we were deeply moved and honoured."
All the above prices include the special pre-order discount and are subject to change after general release.
DAD’S ARMY – THE RADIO SHOW
Duration: 120 minutes approx.
Released: 16 January 2024, exclusively from the Big Finish website.
Directors: David Benson and Jack Lane
Producer: Heather Challands
Senior Producer: John Ainsworth
Executive Producer for Worldwide Theatrix Ltd: Penny Croft
Executive Producers: Nicholas Briggs, Jason Haigh-Ellery
PRICING
Pre-order: £15.99 (collector’s edition CD) £12.99 (download) from www.bigfinish.com
General release: £17.99 (collector’s edition CD) £14.99 (download)
Please note that Big Finish is currently operating a digital-first release schedule. The mailout of collector’s edition CDs will be delayed, but all purchases of this release unlock a digital copy that can be immediately downloaded or played on the Big Finish app from the release date.
Sales enquiries – Tel: 01628 824 102 / Email: [email protected]
