theartsdesk MOT: Yes, Prime Minister, Apollo Theatre

theartsdesk MOT: Yes, Prime Minister, Apollo Theatre | reviews, news & interviews

theartsdesk MOT: Yes, Prime Minister, Apollo Theatre

The classic TV serial takes to the stage but lags behind reality

by Aleks SierzMonday, 18 July 2011

Power play: Richard McCabe and Simon Williams in ‘Yes Prime Minister’Alastair Muir

Situation comedy relies on strong brands, and some ideas just run and run. Yes, Prime Minister is the stage version of the long-running 1980s BBC television shows Yes Minister and Yes, Prime Minister, which memorably starred Nigel Hawthorne and Paul Eddington. First seen at Chichester last year, the play now returns, with a new cast, for a second West End season. But how does this trusty old brand stand up to the stresses and strains of current political life?

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