The USP of the TV sitcom Drop the Dead Donkey—first shown on Channel 4 in 1990 and which ran for six series until 1996—was its topicality, with script changes made minutes, literally, before recording to ensure jokes reflected the current news cycle as far as possible. And with the dynamic duo writing partnership of Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin, this was comedy at its sharpest. A BAFTA, two Emmys and a host of British Comedy Awards reflect its craft and popularity.
And now, thirty years later, they’re back. Drop the Dead Donkey: The Reawakening! is midway through a six-month UK tour and reunites the writing team of Hamilton and Jenkin with seven of the original cast members (sadly, without the late David Swift and Haydn Gwynne).
The TV series ended with the demise of Globe Link News; this new stage show opens with former Globe Link News boss Gus (Robert Duncan) bringing back the team to work for a new channel, Truth News. Back in the '90s, Gus was driven by broadcasting a story “at all costs” with ethics the casualty. He has transitioned smoothly to the 2020s, his choices dictated by likes, “eyeballs” and an obsession with what he calls the algorithm as he tracks and responds to its real-time, rolling results.
We follow the gathering of the new team, the fanfare around Truth News’s arrival, and the fallout after a deeply inauspicious and cringeworthy launch event. Technical issues abound, viewer numbers plummet, ridicule mounts on social media—sound familiar?
Notwithstanding the changes to the world since the 1990s, sticking with the writing team and actors from the original show gives the feeling that they’ve never been away. Characters are still clearly drawn and we understand how their lives have changed since Globe Link came to an end: convenient-with-the-truth reporter Damien (Stephen Tompkinson) is now in a wheelchair following an incident on location, Dave (Neil Pearson) appears to have been cured of his problems with gambling and women and Helen (Ingrid Lacey) has returned for the lucrative salary to clear huge debts.
Brutally honest Joy (Susannah Doyle) is now a freelance HR consultant, hapless editor George (Jeff Rawle) has finally found love and happiness and news anchor Sally Smedley (Victoria Wicks) is still utterly inappropriate, or as she would put it, asks the questions we really want to ask. There are two new characters: Julia Hills as Pullitzer Prize-winning journalist Mairead and Rita (Kerena Jagpal), a young intern who presents the weather. A mysterious backer, awash with cash and splashing out on large salaries (except on the unpaid Rita), are also a big draw.
Scenes take place in the newsroom and Peter McKintosh’s set is nicely adaptable from open plan office to TV studio, complemented by a large video screen and Dan Light’s video design showing occasional filmed reports and a pile-on of social media posts.
The gags cover a wide range of 21st century “isms”: wokeism, ageism, racism, plus, true to the TV format, some very current references feature, namely a couple of Frank Hester barbs. The whole relationship between the truth and how it is reported is under scrutiny, and many knowing murmurs of agreement rippled through the audience throughout the performance.
Great one-liners abound, and nothing is sacred: Prince Andrew, the Pope, Sir Trevor McDonald and Sir David Attenborough. The show also takes a wry look at how AI is shaping our world and Gus’s amusing line that “AI liberates us from the tyranny of thinking” struck a chord, with me at least.
Overall, apart from a few areas where action seemed to lag a little, this transfer from small screen to stage works well, and knowledge of the TV series is not required; this is an effective commentary on the media today.
Drop the Dead Donkey: The Reawakening! is a quick fire and entertaining satire performed by an excellent ensemble cast.