Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em (play)

Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em is a play by Guy Unsworth based on the BBC TV sitcom of the same name by Raymond Allen.

Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em
Written byGuy Unsworth
Based onSome Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em
TV series by Raymond Allen
CharactersFrank Spencer
Betty Spencer
Father O'Hara
Barbara Fisher
Mr Worthington
Mr Luscombe
Leslie Robin
Constable
Date premiered18 February 2018
Place premieredWyvern Theatre, Swindon
Original languageEnglish
GenreComedy, Disaster

Background

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The idea for a stage production of Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em began while Joe Pasquale was appearing in Spamalot in the West End in June 2013 which Guy Unsworth was associate director of, in which an incident with a faulty electric fan collapsing prompted the idea for Pasquale to play Frank Spencer (originally played in the TV series by Michael Crawford). When approached to create the stage version, Raymond Allen (the original TV series writer) gave his blessing for the adaptation as well as the casting of Pasquale (already being a fan of his stand-up shows).

Production history

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The play premiered at the Wyvern Theatre in Swindon on 21 February 2018 before embarking on a UK tour. The production was written and directed by Guy Unsworth, designed by Simon Higlett, scenery built by Splinter Scenery and starred Joe Pasquale as Frank Spencer, Sarah Earnshaw as Betty Spencer and Susie Blake as Mrs Fisher.[1]

The playtext was published on 19 July 2018 by Samuel French, Inc.[2]

Due to the success of the 2018 tour, the production began another tour with Pasquale, Earnshaw and Blake reprising their roles, however was forced to stop due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The tour recommenced in March 2022, with James Paterson joining as Father O'Hara.[3]

Cast and characters

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Character 2018 UK tour 2020 UK tour 2022 UK tour
Frank Spencer Joe Pasquale
Betty Spencer Sarah Earnshaw
Mrs Fisher Susie Blake
Mr Worthing/Mr Luscombe Moray Treadwell
Father O'Hara David Shaw-Parker James Paterson
Constable James Desmond Chris Kiely Ben Watson

Reception

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The play received critical acclaim earning four and five stars across many reviews.[4][5]

References

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  1. ^ BWW News Desk. "Further Dates Added for 2018 UK Tour of SOME MOTHERS DO 'AVE 'EM". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
  2. ^ "Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em". Concord Theatricals. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
  3. ^ Fleming, Ellen (2 July 2019). "Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em | 2020 UK Tour | Dates | Venues". Stage Review. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
  4. ^ "Review: Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em (Richmond Theatre) | WhatsOnStage". www.whatsonstage.com. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
  5. ^ "Review of Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em at Richmond Theatre". LondonTheatre1. 8 March 2018. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
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