DAD’S ARMY RADIO HOUR

Corn Exchange, Dorchester

DONT panic, there might be only two men on the stage but the entire Dad’s Army crowd from Walmington-on-Sea are all on duty and ready for action so pay attention men.

The two actors, David Benson and Jack Lane faithfully reproduce three hilarious episodes of the much loved comedy sitcom, their voices moving from posh to pompous in seconds and from Scottish to shrill women within the blink of an eye, brilliant.

With Mainwaring, Wilson, Pike-"stupid boy"- and Jones on duty, American servicemen find themselves having a tough time with the boys of the Home Guard and as for the German submariners who are captured on a small boat out at sea, even they cannot talk their way out of trouble when Jones finds a bomb in his trousers.

The pair of actors also give superbly accurate impersonations of Walker, Fraser and Godfrey as they battle with a balloon, get the verger into a tangle and even manage to get the vicar at the wrong end of a gun, all of which sends the audience into gales of laughter.

Sound effects and music from the wartime era help to keep fresh those very British comedy situations so it comes as a shock to realise that the first episodes of this remarkable sitcom appeared on television 50 years ago.

The production is currently on a busy national tour but will be back in Dorset at Poole Lighthouse on May 9 so if you want an enjoyable trip down memory lane with the lovable Dad’s Army brigade, be there.

MARION COX