Drop the Dead Donkey - The Reawakening is based on the characters and backstory of the British television sitcom of the same name, first shown on Channel 4 between 1990 and 1998.
The original TV show is set in the offices of "GlobeLink News", and tells the story of a fictional TV news company and its employees. Famously recorded close to transmission, it made use of contemporary news events to give the programme a greater sense of realism.
This reimagining of the story brings seven of the original cast back together and focuses on a new plot which sees the team try to launch a brand new TV news channel with fairly limited success!
Drop the Dead Donkey was somewhat of a British sitcom classic so it was immediately evident that this production would either be an utterly brilliant 90s throwback, or it'd fall flat with the audience. I'm more than pleased to say it did the former - and utterly surpassed itself!
For fans of the original show, Drop the Dead Donkey had it all. Cast members were applauded as they arrived on stage and there were plenty of in-jokes and references to previous storylines. That said, for those of us who'd never seen the show, in any capacity, before there was still moments that resonated and laugh-out-loud sections which were stand-alone comedy genius.
Singling out individuals in the cast seems fruitless - the thing that makes this show work is the ensemble nature of its format. The same is true of almost any sitcom performance; what makes Drop the Dead Donkey tick is the camaraderie and chemistry this septet have retained. Bouncing off each other and performing like there hasn't been a 26-year hiatus, the cast could so easily have walked straight off the set and into the theatre.
What's also incredibly special is the relevance of the content. The original show would pride itself on having current, relevant stories from the news interwoven into the storyline and that continues in this reimagining. From reference to the Royal Family to jokes about politicians and Covid, there wasn't a singe punch line that didn't land perfectly.
This cast has still got it, in spades and here's to another 26 years of outstanding British comedy.
Drop the Dead Donkey plays at The Alexandra until Saturday 20th April 2024. For more information, or to get your tickets, head to atgtickets.com/birmingham.
