Review | Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em at Kings Theatre: 'Uncomplicated British comedy at its finest'

Much-loved telly stars make up the cast members of the daft yet irresistible tour of Some Mothers Do ’Ave ’Em at the Kings in Southsea.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Renowned for its accident-prone Michael Crawford as Frank Spencer, there is little more satisfying than watching Joe Pasquale turn the role into his own forcefield of chaos.

The mackintoshed comedian stars alongside Sarah Earnshaw as Betty, Susie Blake from Coronation Street as Mrs Fisher (Betty’s mum) and Moray Treadwell (The Railway Children, Eastenders, Pirates of the Caribbean) as Mr Worthington and Mr Luscombe.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Having grown up watching the ’70s sitcom on DVD with my parents, I had certain expectations of a high-pitched, slapstick disaster in Pasquale and his theatrical skill delivered.

Some Mothers Do 'Ave Em at Kings Theatre, Southsea. Some Mothers Do 'Ave Em at Kings Theatre, Southsea.
Some Mothers Do 'Ave Em at Kings Theatre, Southsea.

Though evidently older than the on-screen Frank we are all used to, every gag, inbuilt disaster like exploding taps, plummeting pictures above the staircase and unruly furniture, is received with belly laughter from the audience.

At one point, Pasquale leaves guests in fits after repeating (and failing) to prop up a wooden ironing board as his panic descends into consequential chaos.

When a visitor arrives unexpected, clumsy Frank rattles around the kitchen to find suitable bottoms as he sports only the top half of a blue suit, stuck in his white briefs and in a final attempt to greet them without embarrassment pokes his head through the DIY kitchen hatch.

Some Mothers Do 'Ave Em at Kings Theatre, Southsea. Some Mothers Do 'Ave Em at Kings Theatre, Southsea.
Some Mothers Do 'Ave Em at Kings Theatre, Southsea.
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The production stays loyal to the screen show, with sketches fed throughout the play’s storyline with a strong emphasis on Frank’s shortcomings.

The evening is full of uncomplicated British jollity. Easy to follow, just like the TV show, filled with Frank’s discourse of innocent accidents and stunts delivered with speed and conviction.

The cast have clearly spent every spare moment perfecting their characters and it shows.

The setting is the Frank’s suburban house complete with garish wallpaper, the well-known 13 fixed crooked on the door by Frank, a bookcase propped up on the stairs and a hatch installed in the kitchen thanks to Frank’s handy work.

Some Mothers Do 'Ave Em at Kings Theatre, Southsea. Some Mothers Do 'Ave Em at Kings Theatre, Southsea.
Some Mothers Do 'Ave Em at Kings Theatre, Southsea.
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Earnshaw nails Betty’s squeaky, sympathetic voice throughout while the family plan to surprise Frank with the news of her pregnancy – which only her mother knows about.

However, true to form, Frank is left confused and jittery as misunderstandings soon follow.

There are plenty of giggles to be in this simple, but incredibly well executed and professional stage show by a star ensemble.

Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em runs at the Kings until this Saturday, August 13.

Related topics:

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.