The Extraordinary Adventures of Mr Benn, Nuffield Theatre, Southampton
ATTEMPTING to bring classic TV and book characters to life on stage is a risky business - especially when they're as loved as this one.
Happily, the Nuffield's adaptation of the adventures of Mr Benn, David McKee's creation who was immortalised in a 1970s TV animation, works brilliantly well.
Mr Benn is an ordinary man in a black jacket, pinstripe trousers and bowler hat who embarks on some extraordinary adventures after passing through the changing room door of a mysterious costume shop.
Clive Hurley trod the line between strait-laced and eccentric beautifully as Mr Benn, while Joe Cushley, Adam Bampton-Smith and Abbey Norman were excellent in a range of parts.
Director and adapter Daniel Buckroyd made imaginative use of stage and props and also ensured audience participation.
True to the spirit of the original without being suffocated by it, Mr Benn's stage debut couldn't have been done better.
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