Theatre and Dance Previews

Dad's Army is one of the most popular and revered British comedies of all time. The original BBC TV series about Britain's Home Guard during World War II, was first screened in 1968 and soon became a comedy classic, running for nearly ten years and capturing the hearts of millions with its inspired casting and gentle, timeless humour and bulldog spirit that truly captured a moment in history.

Dad's Army

Now, the legendary writers of the sit-com, Jimmy Perry and David Croft, have adapted three episodes for the theatre, two of which have been "lost" since 1969, and the show can be seen in Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire this autumn.

As the misadventures of our Home Guard platoon in their fictional South Coast town of Walmington-on-Sea are lovingly re-created, fans old and new will not only have the chance to see the famous "Don't tell Him Pike" episode, but two episodes that have not been seen since they were first aired!

"The people who see the show will see two scripts that haven't been seen for donkey's years!" revealed Jimmy Perry, as he explained how the episodes went missing in the first place!

"We wrote 80 episodes" he revealed.

"The two episodes that were so-called 'lost' were very early in the series, in fact they were in black and white. They went missing because in those days video had only just come out and they were very expensive, so the BBC used to wipe shows from them and these two have never been found. So many marvellous shows have just disappeared."

Transferred

Luckily, Jimmy and David still had the scripts so when they were approached, firstly by an amateur company, to put together a stage show of the TV series, it was a good opportunity to get them seen again. The writers soon discovered that Dad's Army transferred well to the stage and now the show is going out on its first professional tour.

"About three years ago an amateur production was done in Tring" explained Jimmy.

"They wanted to do it so we put three television shows together and adapted it and it worked so well. Then Samuel French's came and saw it and thought it was a good idea so they published it.

"Then it was done by amateurs everywhere including in Australia and New Zealand - all over the place. I have seen about five productions and it works terribly well on the stage."

Peter Martin as Captain Mainwaring

Part of the original charm of the show was the casting of actors who portrayed characters that have since become almost cult figures. This new production stars Leslie Grantham (Dirty Den, Eastenders) and Peter Martin (Emmerdale Farm and The Royle Family) and Jimmy says that it still works "amazingly well" with different people in the parts. He also revealed that it was not difficult to adapt the show for a different medium.

"It's our job" he explained, "and David and I are theatre people. A thousand years ago we started our careers in the theatre and I've done an enormous amount of theatre, so we didn't have any trouble."

Experiences

At the age of 16, Jimmy was in the Home Guard in Watford, so was able to draw on his experiences for the show, but the idea to do it came out of the frustrations of being a young actor.

"I was an actor from the time I went to RADA after the war and was in various television shows" explained Jimmy.

"I got fed up because I was in sit-coms, and not very good ones I might add, so I thought I'd write a situation comedy with a good part for me in it!"

So he did! He was then in another sit-com which was being produced and directed by David Croft. Jimmy showed him the script, David thought it was a good idea and took him to the Heads of Production at the BBC, particularly a man named Michael Mills, who was the one who came up with the title that we all know and love.

"I'd called it 'The Fighting Tigers' which was a rotten title" revealed Jimmy, "but Michael Mills said "I've decided to call it Dad's Army"! I thought it was marvellous and that's how it came about. We sold it and David and I made the first series."

Success

The series had a great cast and wonderful writing, but Jimmy is further able to pinpoint what made it so successful?

"I think the reason is that it reminds everybody of a time - our finest hour" he said.

"It reflects so well and the whole theme makes people feel good about it. It tells a story that's totally true - we were on our own, backs to the wall and we didn't give in.

"But also the characters I think are real - you will have met them all over the place" he added, although agrees that they were just ordinary people thrust into an extraordinary situation.

"They weren't drafted, they volunteered to defend the country. It's an extraordinary story" he said.

Jimmy and David of course, went on to write further popular comedies such as "It Ain't Half Hot Mum" and "Hi de Hi", hugely popular sit-coms, the like of which we never seem to get anymore. Jimmy is clear about why this is the case.

"I think it's called money!" he explained.

Clive Dunn and John Laurie

"They are expensive to do and they won't take any chances. I always say, with no insult to independent television, if Dad's Army had been offered to commercial television I don't think it would have got on. The BBC's policy was giving things a trial but unfortunately nowadays the BBC is as acutely aware of money as everybody else. It's terribly expensive to do one.

"I don't blame the BBC or ITV, fashions change and times change, but good stuff doesn't change - the DVDs of Dad's Army sell very well, and all over the world too!"

Change

Jimmy admits that we are unlikely to see more of his work on TV soon. He has written a couple of shows but says that the BBC thought that they were a bit dated. The writer though, is very philosophical.

"They just reminded me that my style was old-fashioned nowadays" he explained, "To be fair, they used the word traditional. But things change - you can't say 'oh why don't they do my stuff anymore?'. That's just the way that it goes."

Nevertheless, he must be pleased that he has left such a fantastic legacy from the writing he has done, and that Dad's Army, in particular, is regarded as one of our most revered British comedies ever.

"It makes me feel very proud, it's marvellous, that's all I can say really!"

Jimmy intends to go to a few rehearsals for the new tour and says that he will always be on hand for encouragement and advice.

"I shall always be there ready to give it to them and help them" he explained.

"I'm not going to creep in and say 'you did that all wrong', I'm leaving it to them, they are clever professional people, they know what they're doing and I just want to take a seat quietly at the back and I think I will be delighted."

I think they will be delighted to see him too!