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13 July 2026
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4****
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The much loved TV situation comedy of the mid-1970s, ‘The Good Life’ pushed its four main stars into the public eye well and truly. With the very recent passing of Penelope Keith, the series has been back in the conscience of the nation. John Esmonde and Bob Larbey’s scripts about a suburban couple leaving the rat race to live the life of self-sufficiency, hit a nerve and the series was a huge success. In this adaptation from 2021, Jeremy Sams has taken some of the original stories and woven them together to make a full-length play which is firmly set in the period it was first broadcast on TV and makes for a rather nostalgic theatrical treat.
The staging is far from straightforward – originally conceived for a theatre with a revolving stage, the interiors of Tom and Barbara’s kitchen and Margot and Jerry’s living room sit side by side on the stage and it is a triumph of design and construction by Andrew Beckett and Rhys Cannon. The attention to detail is extraordinary from the packet of Kelloggs Cornflakes to the Aga – when it appears – complete with the official badge on the front. It is these kind of features which elevate Sidmouth Rep productions above the norm. There is a plethora of props, including an oxygen cylinder, multiple edible cakes and a goat – Geraldine, who maybe we don’t see enough of – the gathering and making of these is the work of the tireless and brilliant James Prendergast. The period is underlined by some wonderful costuming from Janet Huckle – the gowns, mainly for Margot – are spot on.
Taking on the (I almost dare not use the word) iconic roles, which to the regular Sidmouth audience will be very familiar, could be seen as daunting. As the idealist, Tom Good, Mack Newton is ebullient and chirpy in his determination to live a better life. Rachel Fletcher-Hudson fits the role of Barbara like a glove, with a wonderful combination of child-like enthusiasm and deep, tender frustration and compassion – a super performance from a hugely talented actor. In Polly Smith, you have the definition of Margot Leadbetter; the sharp edge to the voice, the use of the pause before making an acerbic comment – it is a most glorious performance. Anton Tweedale, likewise, delivers Jerry’s fabulous lines with a joy and a hefty dose of perfectly timed sarcasm – a cracking performance. Stephanie Willson, playing three roles, all but steals the show as the forever-eating Felicity and James Pellow, likewise, playing four characters almost does the same as Harry the pigman. The cast have a huge amount of fun, though there were possibly too many occasions when it seemed there was some playing to the audience by pointing the laugh lines directly at them.
The play does take some time to get going. The scene setting opening act, which sets up the reasons for Tom and Barbara’s lifestyle change, is just too drawn out and lacks enough comedy – you can almost feel the audience urging the action to move on to the main thrust of the storyline. Sams’ script works well enough and it is all credit to director, Jason Moore, to get the most out of it – the transfer from TV to stage isn’t always easy to make. The play has a huge amount going on and, once again, the director makes sure the important parts are highlighted well, rather than letting them get lost under a welter of business. There are some big set pieces – the one concerning the piglet is beautifully played by all. On the face of it, one might assume this was a straightforward play to stage, it is anything but, and is a huge achievement by the Company to get it on stage in five days.
This is an enormously affectionate tribute to a tremendous piece of TV comedy history and there is a lot to enjoy and admire in this high quality production which is a real crowdpleaser.
THE GOOD LIFE runs until 18 July – Next Week (20-25 July) PLAZA SUITE by Neil Simon
DON’T FORGET, PAUL SMITH’S HISTORY OF SIDMOUTH REP THEATRE IS AVAILABLE NOW – https://www.theatreplays.uk/product/comedy-tomorrow-tragedy-tonight-by-paul-smith/
Cast
Tom Good– Mack Newton
Barbara Good – Rachel Fletcher-Hudson
Margot Leadbetter – Polly Smith
Jerry Leadbetter – Anton Tweedale
Sir/Harry/Policeman/Dr Joe – James Pellow
Felicity/Milkwoman/Mary – Stephanie Willson
Creatives
Writer – Jeremy Sams – after John Esmonde and Bob Larbey
Director – Jason Moore
Set Design – Andrew Beckett
Costume Designer – Janet Huckle
Lighting Design – Chris Jackson & Will Tippett
Sound Design – James Prendergast
Props Supervisor – James Prendergast
Set Builder – Rhys Cannon
Stage Manager – James Prendergast
Sound/Lighting Operation – James Prendergast
Stage Management Team – Dominic McChesney & Rhys Cannon
Season Producer – Andrew Beckett
Season Patron – Paul Taylor-Mills
Photo Image – Andrew Beckett
