You remember all the iconic lines (“Listen very carefully, I shall say this only once”, “Oh Rene!”and “Good moaning” to name but a few) and you love the nutty nuances of the characters that said them. 1980s’ BBC sitcom ’Allo ’Allo follows the day-to-day madness of hapless café owner René Artois in war-torn France and includes the oddities of well-loved characters including Italian capitano Alberto Bertorelli, master of disguise Leclerc and waitresses Yvette and Mimi.
“The stage production is pretty much what it says on the tin,” explains director Chris Gatt, who is currently juggling the 20-strong cast in what can only be described as a whirlwind of madness. “Just like the original TV show, this production is completely un-PC and full of saucy, seaside postcard-like double entendres to boot. The play has no pretensions to grandeur; it is a bit of music hall variety with a number of opportunities for comic actors to do a star turn. It is end-of-pier stuff so perfectly appropriate for the Manoel Theatre.”
One of the most popular aspects of the TV show was the fast-paced feel, with characters rushing in and out creating more ludicrous situations as they came and went. The stage version was written by the show’s original writers David Croft and Jeremy Lloyd and very much captures the style and feel of the original.
“As a result the show stays very faithful to the TV version,” continues Mr Gatt. “It consists of a series of fast-paced scenes which create huge headaches for our backstage crew! Thankfully, designer Peter Howitt has come up with a wonderfully intricate set that revolves (literally) to reveal René’s café, Herr Flick’s dungeon-like offices, the larder and other sets at lightening speed. Mr Howitt was aided and abetted by stage manager Anton Scicluna who has worked out a system which combines mechanical engineering, computers and ingenious design to make sure things move as slickly as possible. Now all we can hope for is that the actors don’t bump into the furniture!”
The fast-paced show, which first graced the boards in1992, was revived in the UK in 2008 featuring members of the original TV cast including Vicki Michelle, who recharged the role of winsome waitress Yvette. Actress Coryse Borg will be taking on the role locally. She said: “They are quite big boots, or rather high-heeled shoes, to step into, aren’t they? Vicki Michelle made an icon out of Yvette and when I used to watch the show on TVM as a child she was probably my favourite character; her growling catchphrase ‘René!’ always had me in fits of laughter. Although she was scantily clad for most of the series I am happy to spend the whole show with clothes on, but I will still be trying to elude her wonderful aura all the same.”
The show follows Rene (played locally by Edward Mercieca) and his feisty wife Edith (Polly March) as they struggle to keep their paws on the infamous, priceless portrait (of the Madonna with the big you-know-whats) stolen by the Nazis and kept in a sausage in their cellar. René is hiding two British airmen and is endeavouring, with the help of the Resistance, to repatriate them. Meanwhile, as a visit from Hitler looms, René works hard to keep his cool – yet again.
As always, one of the most amusing aspects of the show is the interaction between René and his German guests. Actress Denise Mulholland is currently putting the finishing touches to her interpretation of Nazi Helga. She said: “When I heard that FM Productions were planning to produce the stage version of ’Allo ’Allo I didn’t wait to be asked but begged for a part instead. I knew it was going to be terrific fun and – after some fairly heavy theatre gigs lately – I relished the idea of having (in true British-airmen-speak) a jolly good laugh!
“Helga is hilarious because she is entirely humourless – completely dead-pan and obsessed with Herr Flick, which takes great acting skills since the object of my affection is being played by Alan Montanaro! The hardest thing about this show is not laughing on stage as the lines are so funny and silly that every now and then you catch yourself and just can’t help laughing. The cast is a great bunch, full of stalwarts with a few up and coming actors thrown in for good measure, and to keep us all on our toes.”
In fact, the producers really have lined up a star-studded cast to pull off this show. It includes the comedy talents of Edward Mercieca, Alan Montanaro, Mikhail Basmadjian, Pia Zammit, Denise Mulholland, Polly March, Snits, Barry Stott, Coryse Borg, Jo Caruana, Colin Fitz, Jan Zammit, Faye Paris and Joe Azzopardi.
“This is a show for anyone who enjoys a really good laugh,” adds Ms Mullholland. “It is not high theatre but it is high comedy and is very engaging. It is, in effect, the TV series brought to life – complete with Fallen Madonna’s, wooden legs, inflatable Hitlers and large comedy sausages! It is also a little bit nostalgic as I’m sure a lot of people will remember the TV series which certainly harks back to a more innocent time.”

’Allo ’Allo is being staged at the Manoel Theatre on March 29-31 and April 3-5. Tickets may be obtained by phone on 2124 6389, by e-mail: bookings@teatru manoel.com.mt or online: www.teatrumanoel. com.mt

Source: Weekender, March 21, 2009