Brand new adaptation of Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais’ PORRIDGE to tour in 2027
Joshua Beaumont and Matthew Emeny for The Production Garden will present a brand new adaptation of Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais’ Porridge, adapted and directed by Samuel Freeman, which will tour the UK from September 2027.
The sharp, hilarious, and laugh-out-loud funny iconic BBC sitcom is spectacularly brought to life on stage with perfectly observed characters in some of their most memorable moments - all delivered by a talented cast of three! Casting to be announced.
Join career criminal Fletcher and wide-eyed cellmate Godber as they navigate life inside Her Majesty’s Prison Slade with wit, wisdom, and the occasional dodgy scheme.
Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais (Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?, Porridge, Auf Wiedersehen, Pet and Lovejoy) have enjoyed a unique creative partnership in television, movies and theatre, spanning more than five decades for which they each received an Order of the British Empire for their services to Drama.
Dick Clement said: “Someone once pointed out that the best comedies thrive in captive situations. He or she quoted Steptoe and Son, where a father and son are shackled together trying to get along and nearly come to blows in the process.
“If you accept that premise, then Porridge is the ultimate example, where our characters are literally locked up behind bars. Even the Prison Officers suffer in a similar way where Mr. Barrowclough, not looking forward to going home to a wife we never meet, says plaintively: “Sometimes I wish I was in here with you lot”.
“I look forward to seeing our creation in the theatre. If the audience feels confined, they can of course make a run for it. Instead, the hope is that they will enjoy sharing the familiar experiences of Fletcher, Godber, Mr. Mackay and the entire team. And when they have finished laughing, they will find that the doors to the street are unlocked.”
Adaptor and director Samuel Freeman said: “I am utterly thrilled at the opportunity to bring Porridge back to the stage, touring across the UK in 2027. Dick and Ian’s script contains so many great moments of this national treasure of a British sitcom, bottled up into one fantastic evening of entertainment. Full of unforgettable characters, razor sharp wit and the heartfelt truth of a friendship found in one of the toughest places!”
“I’m excited to be adapting this classic into a fresh new production that looks to celebrate the well known adventures of Fletcher, Godber and co, through all the theatrical magic that makes British theatre something to love and enjoy.”
The 2027 tour will open at The Rondo Theatre, Bath on 9 September before visiting Salisbury Playhouse, Isle of Wight, Poole, Lichfield, Peterborough, Harrogate, Lancaster, Lytham Saint Annes, Barnstaple, Newport, Tewkesbury, Llanelli, Ipswich, Lowestoft, Bowness-on-Windermere, Sheffield, Buxton, New Brighton, Shrewsbury, and Hertford.