Review - why there's plenty of life left in this 'donkey' which is back from the dead in Chichester

The first question posed by a member of the audience in a Q&A with cast, writers and director after the show was why had it taken so long to resuscitate this particular ‘dead donkey’.

Because this new reimagining of the iconic TV series is bursting with life and brutal, razor-sharp topical humour that gives a whole new meaning to live drama.

The brilliant writers Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin are constantly updating the script to match the crazy fast-paced news environment which we all inhabit – so no two shows are the same.

How the cast so dextrously and seamlessly manages to incorporate the changes is itself worth a round of applause – or a standing ovation. There are no surreptitious Post-it Notes with the amendments that supported the TV production.

We have everything from references to alleged delays in compensation payments to sub-postmasters (‘if they’d wanted to do that surely they would have sent the cheques by post’) to the latest political nonsense from Westminster.

Nor do the jokes pull their punches. As a journalist, one is left in awe at how one or two lines made it past the lawyers.

The premise of the show is simple. After the collapse of Globelink News, the journalistic team is reassembled by a mysterious set of backers to produce a new TV station – Truth News.

But who is behind the operation and the editorial algorithm which seems determined to distort the truth rather than protect it? Chaos ensues as the investigative team seeks answers.

Perhaps even ten years ago a revival of the concept might have been less believable. Since then there has been a host of news channels launched.

In a post lockdown world, we all crave some of that almost reassuring 1990s comedy.

So it is terrific to see the old team reunited. Apparently it didn’t take too much persuasion to get them back together once they were convinced as to the quality – the audience was told they have all remained in contact and friends ever since the original recordings.

The cast includes Neil Pearson, Stephen Tompkinson, Victoria Wicks, Ingrid Lacey, Susannah Doyle, Robert Duncan, Julia Hills, Kerena Jagpal, and Jeff Rawle.

There is more than a hint of nostalgia about the reunion for lovers of the original. But this offers so much more too. It is fresh, funny, and brilliantly addictive for a whole new generation.

Do everything you can to get yourself a ticket before this show leaves Chichester – although the performance you see is likely to be quite different from tonight’s, depending on the twists and turns of the news agenda in the next few days ...