The Archers: Live at 75
Review by Clare Phillips.
It was with some trepidation that I took my seat at the Regent Theatre for this homage to all things Ambridge. Not because I wasn’t expecting to enjoy it, but because some of the cast were appearing in it and I wasn’t quite sure how I would cope when I heard the familiar voice of Ambridge gossip Susan Carter from the lips of the completely different looking Charlotte Martin who plays her. But I suppose I was safe in the knowledge that each and every one of us in the audience thought the same, and probably had entirely different views of how the characters we were watching look when we’re listening.
Hosted by stand-up comedian and panel-show favourite – but more importantly Archers super-fan - Angela Barnes, the show began with a potted history of the ‘everyday story of country folk’ as it used to be known, although these days the BBC bills it as ‘a contemporary drama in a rural setting.’ Others call it ‘the world’s longest running radio soap’, and although I am not entirely sure, I think there may still be one or two who believe it to be a fly-on-the-wall documentary!
The setting for the performance is the annual Ambridge Flower and Produce Show – which regular listeners will know is up there with the highlights of the village calendar that also include Lynda Snell’s Christmas Show, the Fete, Stir Up Sunday and of course the Single Wicket competition.
Many in the audience had dressed for the occasion, looking as if they had come straight from the President’s Lunch at The Suffolk Show. I’d wondered about what to wear myself and had put my wellies in the car just in case (but then remembered that the Regent had a multi-million pound refurbishment not that long ago and wellies were probably not desirable footwear.) But respect to the group of ladies who turned up wearing cows’ ears head bands.
This was an interactive show where we were encouraged from the start to scan a QR code to take part in quizzes and polls. Perhaps mindful that she was addressing a largely Radio 4 audience, Angela Barnes asked: “Do you all know how to do that?” and suggested that those who didn’t could see if they had someone under the age of 40 sitting next to them who could help, before enquiring again: “Actually, IS there anyone here under the age of 40?”
We were treated to special performances from the cast – in this case alongside Susan (Charlotte) were Ben Archer (Ben Norris), his ‘dad’ David Archer (Timothy Bentinck) and Kirsty Miller (Annabelle Dowler). ‘The Archers’ has a number of silent characters that listeners know and love, but there is also a heard-but-never-seen (if that makes sense) lynchpin of the show Vanessa Nuttall, who provides all the on-the-spot sound effects. She shared a number of trade secrets and – without giving too many spoilers away – yoghurt and ironing-boards have a lot to answer for, although not necessarily at the same time. And while practically nobody in radio still uses quarter-inch reel-to-reel tape these days – it still has a big part to play in the farmyards and barns of Ambridge.
After the interval it was a chance to put questions to the cast – again using our mobile phones. There were some interesting revelations: Annabelle Dowler has been playing Kirsty for over 25 years but only found out herself a few weeks ago that Kirsty is 45. And while the show tries to keep up with important birthdays, anniversaries etc, one character’s 21st birthday was missed by everyone.
Of course, the interactive/scan a QR code with your phone element did, in the end, catch a few people out, who had presumably forgotten to switch their phone to silent – a number of phones rang at various intervals during the performance. It would have been far less irritating when that happened if at least one of them had had The Archers theme tune (Barwick Green) as their ringtone.
This is a real treat for Archers fans and I wouldn't mind betting that those who indicated in the poll that they never listen but were there under duress probably had a great time as well.
The Archers: Live at 75 was at Ipswich Regent Theatre on 16 June.
THE SHOW NOW CONTINUES ON TOUR ACROSS THE COUNTRY. FOR DETAILS CLICK HERE