'Allo 'Allo

'Allo 'Allo
'Allo 'Allo! was a long-running British sitcom broadcast on BBC1 from 1982 to 1992 comprising eighty-five episodes. It is a parody on Secret Army and was created by David Croft, who also wrote the theme music, and Jeremy Lloyd. Lloyd and Croft wrote the first 6 Series. Series 7 onward was written by Lloyd and Paul Adam. Lloyd and Croft were also responsible for the popular sitcom Are You Being Served?. In 2004, Allo 'Allo came 13th in Britain's Best Sitcom. A reunion special, comprising new material, archive clips and specially-recorded interviews, was broadcast on 28 April 2007 on BBC Two.

Story
By Jeremy Lloyd and David Croft. Based on the hugely popular TV Comedy series, the stage version of ‘Allo ‘Allo follows the adventures of Rene, the hapless café owner in war-torn occupied France, as he and his wife Edith, struggle to keep for themselves a priceless portrait stolen by the Nazi’s kept in a sausage in their cellar. Rene is hiding two British airmen and is endeavouring, with the help of the resistance, to repatriate them. However, communications with London through a wireless disguised as a cockatoo add to the many embarrassments he endures in the company of his patrons. Matters come to a head with the news that the Fuhrer is to visit the town and the café becomes filled with tricksters intending to impersonate Hitler before the event. Rene will need all the wit he can muster to save his café and his life!

Cast
Rene - Mark Roberts Edith - Fiona Humphrey Yvette - Laura Thornett Michelle - Lynn Davis Mimi - Louise Chalcraft Colonel Von Strohm - James Wading Helga - Karen Perry Captain Alberto Bertorelli - Barry Tinkler Herr Otto Flick - Mark Barnes Officer Crabtree - Jamie Griffiths Leclerc - Ricky Davey Lieutenant Gruber - Tim Kimber General Von Schelling - Alan Moss 1st Airman - Dave Humphrey 2nd Airman - Tony Makey Maurice [Piano Player] - John McSweeney German Soldiers - Gary Boniface and Ron Mundy

Peasants - Mike Gearing, Heather Gearing and Pat Stewart

Crew
Director - Tony Makey Assistant Director - Carole Davis Stage Manager - Mike Gearing

Backstage Crew - Ricky Davey, Gary Boniface, Alan Moss and Tony Makey

Awards
Stage-door Best Performance Award - Mark Roberts (Rene)

Review
"From the moment René took us into his confidence, as the familiar accordian tune faded away, it was clear this stage version of 'Allo 'Allo was about to be every bit as enjoyable as the small screen smash-hit. We spent only a couple of hours in Café René, deep in German-occupied France in the Second World War, but like the cognac served up by the hapless proproetor, it was an intoxicating blend, with farce, slapstick, double-endendres and slick one-liners. Any doubts the Littlehampton Windmill audience might have had about the wisdom of Stage-Door Theatre Company attempting a production which risked ready comparison with the television sit-com were soon dispelled by fine performances throughout the cast. Mark Roberts, as René, set the standard in the opening scene, pouring out his heart and telling us of his struggles to remain at peace with Edith, his dragon of a wife, waitresses Mimi and Yvette, with whom he was having affairs, the German army and the French Resistance, each of whom would shoot him if they found out about his double-dealings with the others. All the familiar ingedients from Jeremy Llyod and David Croft's television scripts were served up, including various large sausages supposedly concealing the valuble painting of the fallen Madonna with the Big Boobies, communication problems caused by a wireless disguised as a cockatoo, LeClerc's bizarre disguises and the mangled Franglais ('Good Moaning') of the British Officer Crabtree (Jamie Griffiths). A Gestapo suspender belt, complete with mousetraps to protect Herr Flick's girlfriend Helga from the advances of the amourous Italian Captain Alberto Bertorelli, provided on of the evening's best moments. The action rat-a-tat-tatted through 16 quick fire scenes, but the well written characters, so carefully recreated by the Stage-Door players, were what really made this such an excellent production. Tim Kimber, as Lieut Gruber the German officer with a fondness for René could put the camp in Mien Kampf and the mince in hamburgers. Fearless French Resistance member Michelle (Lynn Davis) only had to tell René once of her latest secret instructions and he would be packing his bag for a quieter life elsewhere. Rickey Davey's LeClerc had the right mix of bumbling wackiness and Barry Tinkler, as the Italian Captain cut a dashing figure, while Mark Barnes' Herr Flick had a ruthless streak which was nevertheless, highly amusing. Fiona Humphrey achieved the difficult task of deliberately singing off key as the feisty Edith in a diversionary cabaret hour while René searched for another sausage and waitresses Yvette (Laura Thornett) and Mimi (Louise Chalcraft) kept their boss happy with clandestine cuddles a-plenty. James Wading (Colonel Von Strohm), Karen Perry (Helga), Alan Moss (General Von Schmelling), Dave Humprhey and Tony Makey as the two British airmen and John McSweeney as the café piano player, completed the cast, with German soldiors Gary Boniface and Ron Mundy, and peasants Mike Gearing, Heather Gearing and Pat Stewart. This was also Tony Makey's debut as a director, and five full or near full houses, together with an abundance of applause and laughter, will tell him everything he needs to know about it's success. Ricky Davey and Mike Gearing also deserve credit for a versatile set, quickly transformed from the Café interior to a cellar, cinema, bedroom, or Colonel's Office."

- Roger Green, Littlehampton Gazette Aug 7th 2009