Act Reviews 2024 / 2025 Season

OPEN ALL HOURS Adapted from Roy Clarke's original television scripts by Laura Martin authorised by Roy Clarke and licensed by the BBC. Directed by Stephen Woods Bacup Royal Court Theatre Group 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. The show's setting is a small grocer's shop in Balby, a suburb of Doncaster in South Yorkshire. The owner, Albert Arkwright (Niel Gioia), is a middle-aged miser with a stammer and a knack for selling. His nephew Granville (Daniel Starkie) is his beleaguered put-upon errand boy who blames his work schedule for his lacklustre social life. Across the road lives nurse Gladys Emmanuel (Gill Richardson), who is largely occupied by her professional rounds, and her elderly mother. Arkwright longs to marry Gladys, but she resists his persistent pressures. The small first night audience was transported to Arkwright’s world with an excellent characterisation of Arkwright by Niel. His reaction to the wayward till was excellent and his “G-G-G-Granvilles” were spot on. Granville proved to be a very physical role when meeting the dominatrix at

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