The plot and dialogue may be tres tres cheesy but the acting and staging of ‘Allo ‘Allo: the Camembert Caper by the Twenty Club at Llangollen Town Hall this week are simply ooh la la!
The popular drama group took their first crack at the stage version of the French resistance farce with 'Allo 'Allo: The Fallen Madonna to win widespread praise back in 2021.Tomorrow (Wednesday) until Saturday - when there's also a matinee show - they're back for a second go. And it works every bit as well this time round.
Things are just as deliciously daft in the plotting and dialogue departments but the interpretation of the piece by a highly skilled cast is simply magnifique.
Based on the hugely popular TV comedy series, this version of 'Allo 'Allo continues the adventures of reluctant resistance hero and harassed café owner René Artois in German-occupied wartime France.
And poor old Rene gets himself into the same kind of deep trouble as he always did on screen or stage.
Add a basketful of camembert cheeses, an amorous but corrupt undertaker, two waitresses vying for Rene's charms, ill thought out escape plans for the two British airmen, German presence everywhere and, well ..
The cast assembled under the masterful touch of director Chissie Ashworth - also back for a second stint with Rene - is little short of brilliant.
Rene himself is played with world-weary aplomb by Chris Williams, while his overbearing wife with a neat line in tuneless singing is Lizzie Clifford, who incidentally sings rather better in real life.
The duo of naughty waitresses at Cafe Rene, Yvette and Mimi, are brought cheekily to life by Jessica Fiddler and Niki Davies-Bottomley respectively and - listen carefully, as I will say zis only once - Helen Belton makes a superb resistance worker Michelle.
Aled Morris is splendidly befuddled as the bumbling resistance man Le Clerc while Sue Cheshire is Madam Fanny La Fan, the bed-ridden elderly lady whose presence sparks many a double entendre. Sue's real-life husband Bill Cheshire brings a classy French accent and nifty little beard to bear as the undertaker Monsieur Alphonse.
Dan Pedley, Neil Barrett and Edward Roscoe turn in a suitably braying set of upper-class, shot-down RAF types, Dan doing particularly well as Crabtree who is pretending to be the local gendarme manged Franglais and all.
Herr Flick, the ramrod-like but muddle-headed Gestapo officer, is always an 'Allo 'Allo favourite and is no exception in this piece where is portrayed in fine style by Kevin Williams. His flirty assistant Helga is equally well done by Bev Maier.
Steve Hughes, John Clifford, John Eve and Ian Wright produce some handy turns as the local German officers, General Klinkerhoffen, Colonel Von Strohm, Captain Geering and Lieutenant Gruber.
Jayne Belton keeps the ivories tinkling admirably in the cafe background as resident pianist Madame Croissant and Mike Connolly is a believable radio announcer.
The show is as splendidly produced as ever by Pamela Williams.
Performance dates are from Wednesday November 13 to Saturday November 16 at 7.30pm with a Saturday matinee at 2pm. Ticket prices are £14 and £12.
* Yvette and Rene in the cafe.
* Monsieur Alphonse with Rene.
* Double entendres fly around Madame Fanny La Fan.
* Michelle confers with Yvette, Edith and Milli.
* Helga dines with Herr Flick.
* Rene under pressure from Edith.
* Not-so-nasty Nazi officers.
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