By Ben Shahrabi
In the first ever stage adaptation of The Brittas Empire, Maldon Drama Group faithfully recreated the chaos and bureaucracy of the 1990s leisure centre-based sitcom.
Audiences packed into Maldon Town Hall for the final show on Saturday evening (October 19).
Director Ian McDonald told Caroline Coastal everyone involved in the production had “such a good time”.
He said: “As a group, they’ve really got into it and had a wonderful time.
“Even though Mr Brittas is the main character, all the characters have decent parts. It has worked really well.”
THE REVIEW
Adapted with special permission from series creators Andrew Norris and Richard Fegan, Maldon Drama Group brings its typical warmth and enthusiasm to the production.
The original series starred Red Dwarf’s Chris Barrie as the titular well-meaning but incompetent manager, Gordon Brittas.
Trevor Hammond takes up Mr Brittas’ clipboard in this production, carefully emulating Chris Barrie’s pedantic portrayal down to the snide snigger let out when it all goes wrong for his staff.
The set design was simple, resourceful, and superbly effective at transporting the audience to the Whitbury-Newtown Leisure Centre – even down to the chunky 1990s computer on the reception desk.
To keep the pace of the multi-camera TV show, scenes “change” using digital backgrounds projected onto the stage.
Helen Rasmussen is hilariously overzealous as receptionist Carole, especially when getting customers to fill out feedback surveys. She even goes as far as snatching a Zimmer frame away from a hobbling old lady, saying: “you can have it back once you’ve filled out your forms”.
But it’s Martin Adams as Colin who steals the show, drawing giggles from the audience before even saying his lines.
Having been “blinded” in an explosive gardening mishap, Colin causes chaos throughout the leisure centre.
For example, when Mr Brittas tries to break some bad news to Colin (before he plans to fire him), disaster strikes. Colin knocks his beloved canary’s birdcage off Mr Brittas’ desk – only for it to fall “fowl” of Mr B’s rolled-up newspaper. Splat!
Jonathan Brown’s portrayal of long-suffering “trainee-deputy-assistant manager” Gavin is appropriately understated, as he grows increasingly exasperated with Mr Brittas’ antics.
While there were a few fluffed lines here and there, the team did an incredible job of replicating the pace and wit of a show loved by so many – condensed into just two hours.
There were lots of smiles from the audience throughout, in-between fits of laughter.
Four stars - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Although discussions are currently underway about the subject of Maldon Drama Group’s next production, shows are already billed to take place on 10,11 and 12 April 2025.
For more information, visit the Maldon Drama Group website.
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