I'm Sorry, Prime Minister Review: Hacker and Sir Humphrey Return as Baffled but Charming Old Codgers
At the Apollo theatre in London, a nostalgic revival unfolds with I'm Sorry, Prime Minister, Jonathan Lynn's elegiac swansong to the beloved parliamentary sitcom Yes, Prime Minister. This production, directed by Lynn alongside Michael Gyngell and first staged in 2023 at the Barn in Cirencester, casts Griff Rhys Jones as former Prime Minister Jim Hacker and Clive Francis as his wily consigliere Sir Humphrey Appleby. The play serves as a poignant farewell, exploring themes of age, irrelevance, and the levelling effects of time on once-mighty figures.
A Plot of Low-Stakes Intrigue and Woke Orthodoxy
The narrative centres on Hacker, who protests, "I'm not dead, I'm in the House of Lords!" Now master of an Oxford college, he faces expulsion by students angered by his affronts against woke orthodoxy. In desperation, Hacker calls upon Sir Humphrey, who is condemned to a care home by his so-called "evil queen" daughter-in-law. Their predicament is deliberately low-stakes, with not a great deal happening beyond conversational gambits, such as Hacker asking, "Humphrey, why were you so keen on austerity?" The ambition, as telegraphed by care worker Sophie quoting Shelley's Ozymandias, is to examine the fallen mighty, whither they go when exiled from corridors of power.
Performances That Shine with Urbanity and Wit
Rhys Jones and Francis deliver a treat for audiences, with Rhys Jones blithering and pompous as Hacker, and Francis offering a delicious mixture of vulnerability and shrewdness—frail enough to try a stairlift yet retaining his skill for filibustering prolixity. Stephanie Levi-John provides spirited support in the thankless role of Sophie, forever correcting her elders' improprieties. The production majors not in depth of feeling or dramatic incident but in urbane wit and the illicit thrill of hearing old codgers say inappropriate things, making their company as charming as ever.
A Critique of Modern Discourse and Ageing Perspectives
At its worst, the play risks becoming less a drama and more a vehicle for Lynn and his characters to discourse, not very insightfully, on trigger warnings and safe spaces. However, Lynn's perspective on age and irrelevance is arresting, highlighting how these forces level even the most powerful. The poignancy of Sir Humphrey's care home exile is not dwelled upon, but it adds a subtle layer to the show's exploration of societal shifts and personal decline.
I'm Sorry, Prime Minister runs at the Apollo theatre in London until 9 May, offering a witty and reflective close to a classic sitcom duo's journey.
