Open All Hours stage play to open
- A new stage production of Open All Hours is to premiere in September
- Authorised by creator Roy Clarke, it has been adapted from his original sitcom scripts
- The show stars Ray Baker and Russell Alder, and will be staged in Louth, Lincolnshire
In the sitcom's 50th anniversary year, a new stage version of Open All Hours is to play in September.
Directed and adapted from Roy Clarke's original television scripts by Laura Martin, it is an official production authorised by Clarke and licensed by the BBC, with the blessing of Sir David Jason.
Ray Baker will take on Ronnie Barker's infamous role of shopkeeper Arkwright, whilst David Jason's Granville is to be played by Russell Alder over the course of five nights at the Louth Riverhead Theatre in Louth, Lincolnshire.
Performances will run from 4th - 9th September, with tickets now booking.
Speaking exclusively to British Comedy Guide, Martin explains: "I spent an extraordinary amount of time watching and re watching all 26 original episodes of Open All Hours (four series, aired in 1976, 1981, 1982 and 1985 on the BBC). As a lifelong fan of Ronnie Barker (there's a reason my dog is called Fletcher!) I had, of course, watched the show many times before. But looking at it through a writer/director lens really exposed how brilliantly clever the show is. The comedy is so subtly layered, so nuanced and intricately weaved around a relatively small handful of core characters - it catches you by surprise often with its punches and punchlines!
"It took many months to whittle down this treasure trove of work into a final framework for the show to be staged at Louth Riverhead Theatre. The show is in four acts, each based on a discrete day's happenings in Arkwright's shop, with old familiar story arcs bringing the whole piece together.
"I have also been able to track down one of the exact models of the dreaded till seen on TV, and this will be part of our show. Additionally, I have a 1950s shop bike currently being restored to use on stage as well."
Clarke had full oversight over the script adaptation at every stage, and with rehearsals underway attention will now turn to a meticulous, faithful set build, recreating the 1970s shop seen in the original sitcom.
Martin concludes: "Arkwright's shop is a British comedy institution. Audiences know it and love it, and they won't be forgiving if we don't get it right! Rest assured, our eyes are keenly trained on the detail, just like Arkwright when he's counting his takings!"
The rest of the cast comprises Julia Burnett as Nurse Gladys, Vikki Parker as the Milkwoman, and Amanda Hodges as Mavis, plus Keith Larcombe, Jo Cox, Andy Vallely, Amanda Eastwood and Michael Parker in additional roles.
Only one live version of Open All Hours is known to have been staged in the past, marking the 40th anniversary of the pilot episode (aired 25th March 1973) in 2013. By The Trinity Players, it was an original story, presented without Clarke's involvement.
The Complete Open All Hours - Series One - Four
Ronnie Barker stars as Arkwright, the tight-fisted stammering shop-keeper, who would rather risk instant amputation than replace his death-trap of a till. A young David Jason plays Granville, Arkwright's ill-fated, over-worked, sexually-frustrated errand boy, while Lynda Baron is Nurse Gladys Emmanuel, the owner of an awesome bosom and an old Morris Minor and is the object of the grocer's undying lust.
Contains the original 1973 pilot, and every episode from the four series of Open All Hours proper.
First released: Sunday 11th October 2009
DVD DVD- Distributor: 2 Entertain
- Region: 2
- Discs: 4
- Subtitles: English SDH
- Catalogue: BBCDVD2265
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- Distributor: 2 Entertain
- Region: All
- Discs: 4
- Subtitles: English SDH
- Catalogue: BBCDVD2265
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Still Open All Hours: The Story Of A Classic Comedy
From its first episode in 1973, Open All Hours was an instant hit. Audiences around Britain loved its familiar setting, good-natured humour, and the hilarious partnership of Ronnie Barker and David Jason. Whilst it only ran for 26 episodes, it firmly cemented itself as a British comedy classic.
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the show in 2014, the BBC revived it for a one-off Christmas special. Still Open All Hours was swamped by a tsunami of audience affection and the BBC promptly commissioned a full series.
With recollections from David Jason, his fellow cast members, and from the scriptwriter Roy Clarke, plus never before seen BBC archive material, acclaimed popular TV historian Graham McCann tells the inside story of this very British sitcom, with wit, insight and affection.
First published: Thursday 30th October 2014
- Publisher: BBC Books
- Pages: 288
- Catalogue: 9781849908863
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- Published: Thursday 7th March 2019
- Publisher: BBC Books
- Pages: 304
- Catalogue: 9781785944659
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- Publisher: BBC Books
- Download: 9.14mb
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Still Open All Hours - The Complete Collection
Open All Hours returns to our screens 28 years after the first series. This warm-hearted sitcom sees Sir David Jason reprise his role as Granville who has inherited the corner shop from his beloved but miserly Uncle Arkwright.
Now running the business with his cheerful and good-looking son, Leroy (James Baxter) - the result of a brief romantic encounter a couple of decades ago - Granville continues to serve the locals with a keen eye on a clever profit, from familiar and new faces including Nurse Gladys Emmanuel (Lynda Baron), the formidable Mrs Featherstone (Stephanie Cole), and pessimistic Wet Eric (Johnny Vegas).
He is also still trying to woo the lovely Mavis (Maggie Ollerenshaw), who is now under the watchful eye of her fearsome sister Madge (Brigit Forsyth), and Granville tries to find a way through with help from his neighbour, Gastric (Tim Healy).
First released: Monday 5th June 2023
DVD- Distributor: BBC
- Region: 2 & 4
- Discs: 6
- Minutes: 1,178
- Subtitles: English
- Catalogue: BBCDVD4552
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