Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin have breathed new life into this much-loved TV classic, bringing it to the stage with many of the original cast.
Stephen Tompkinson as Damien, Robert Duncan as Gus, Jeff Rawle as George, Neil Pearson as Dave and Victoria Wicks as Sally | Photo © Manuel Harlan
It is hard to believe that the TV show was born in 1990, the cutting comical newsroom satire based in the offices of Globe Link News.
As in the TV series, morality and ethics remain on the back shelf as Gus (Robert Duncan) brings the team back together to present the brilliantly ironic “truth” news.
It is as chaotic and inappropriate in every way possible causing much laughter and enjoyment in the full house.
There are multiple technical errors and the first news show is an unmitigated disaster but they carry on regardless. As the familiar characters return to the newsroom, there is much applause as they morph back into the roles for which they are so well known.
Damien (Stephen Tompkinson) the journalist not known for telling the truth is now a wheelchair user following an accident. There is much doubt from the outset if this is indeed true.
Dave (Neil Pearson) no longer gambles or chases women. Helen (Ingrid Lacey) returns for the money due to her debts. Joy (Susannah Doyle) is a brutal, unkind freelance HR Consultant who has negotiated her own contract, whilst George (Geoff Rawle) has found love and happiness much to everyone’s surprise.
Sally Smedley (Victoria Wicks) remains the news anchor diva and utterly out of control with inappropriate comments dressed as rhetorical questioning.
New to the team is Mairead (Julia Hills) as an award-winning journalist trying to find the source of the money backing the show and Rita (Kerena Jagpal) as the unpaid intern who presents the weather.
The script is vibrant and witty with every “ism” possible; some storming one-line gags concerning Trevor Macdonald and the Pope whilst Sir David Attenborough threatens legal action.
The newsroom design (Peter Mackintosh) is versatile and the scrolling social media well constructed and entertaining.
The whole cast works hard with a script that does occasionally lapse in energy but overall it is a good show.
No knowledge of the TV show is necessary and the news and the nature of truth is a hot topic of conversation at the moment so there is boundless material to keep it on its toes throughout the tour.
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Reviewer: Petra Schofield
