Theatre: Porridge
For three years, Ronnie Barker amused audiences around the country with his prison antics as wily inmate Norman Stanley Fletcher, now played by Shaun Williams (Extras, Eastenders). And, even though it's been 35 years since the show first hit our screens, numerous reruns have ensured it remains a much-loved national treasure.
Now the show is being given a much-needed breath of fresh air as it transfers this month to theatre stages around the country. The script has been written by the duo behind the original screenplay, Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais, and promises to be an equally amusing adaptation of the 70s hit. For anyone who doesn't know the basic storyline, it's follows the life of Fletcher (Barker), serving a five year sentence for breaking and entering, who finds himself sharing a cell with a young and naïve first-time offender - played by the late Richard Beckinsale.
Runs 28th August to 5th September at Gordon Craig Theatre, Stevenage before touring nationwide.
