Review: Dad's Army Radio Show (Wilton's Music Hall)

Review by Harry Bower

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Dad’s Army is one of those timeless cultural phenomena, loved by generation after generation, enjoyed in endless repeats on pretty much every kind of media format available. With its catchphrases, unique caricatures and iconic performances, it’s revered as one of the greatest British sitcoms of all time. How, then, could two men possibly recreate the entire thing on a barren stage, even if it is the radio-adapted script? Well, it turns out, they can do so remarkably well.

Together David Benson and Jack Lane take to their microphones, scripts in-hand, and faithfully reproduce three episodes, nailing over twenty different characters in a whirlwind of carefully choreographed impressions and wicked comic timing. In this run, the three episodes being premiered are; ‘The Love of Three Oranges’, in which Mannering attempts to save his marriage; ‘The Miser’s Hoard’ in which Frazer protects his gold sovereigns from the townsfolk; and ‘The Making of Private Pike’ in which Pike steals Captain Mainwaring’s new staff car. 

Each is a purist’s dream, the episodes slimmed down from the original television scripts. Instead of being tempted by a more creative retelling, Benson and Lane instead impersonate the original actors and their mannerisms. Watching them do so is an authentic and brilliantly executed nostalgia trip. That there is no deviation from tradition is a brilliant thing. Around every corner the brilliance of the writing is on display. There’s quirky relationships and catchphrases you’d forgotten, all part of the fabric of British culture but so easily forgotten in the avalanche of sitcoms which stand on the shoulders of classics like Dad’s Army. Keeping things traditional in its presentation (no set, basic microphone setup etc) also levels expectations. Where the script occasionally falls down or a joke doesn’t present as well as it might were it written today, there is tolerance built into the audience reaction. This is, after all, a radio play…

Each episode begins with its title, and a brief explanation of the setting of the first scene, and then boom - we’re straight into the script. There are no pauses or breaks except to allow for sound effects or musical scene transitions. What could be a very two dimensional experience actually transcends the radio format. The performers integrate a handful of physical comedy moments, creative characteristics or occasional exaggerated facial expressions; it’s enough to build on their voice work rather than distract from it. Within a few lines of dialogue you’re engrossed in the imaginative world presented to you. In a world so overstimulated, it’s actually sort of calming to not have to do much beyond let your imagination go wild for an hour and a half.

Dad’s Army Radio Show is a strong-recommend from me for fans of the sitcom. Close your eyes, and you could be watching the original cast up there on that stage. Pike’s naivety, Wilson’s assured campness, the endearing belligerence of Mainwaring; each character is immediately recognisable thanks to two barnstorming performers working harder than any performer should need to - and yet they make it look easy. It is a masterclass in impersonation but it’s also a masterclass in performance.

Dad’s Army Radio Show plays at Wilton’s Music Hall until Saturday 22 June 2024. For more information visit: https://www.wiltons.org.uk/whatson/876-dad-s-army-radio-show