Theatre: The New Statesman

4:43pm Friday 6th July 2007

Watching The New Statesman without Rik Mayall was a strange experience at Richmond Theatre on Monday, even though Mike Sherman gave a slick performance as a stand-in for the virus-hit star.

The problem was that only Mayall can really play the vile, arrogant, corrupt, sex-mad MP Alan B'Stard. He not only possesses bags of charisma and perfect comic timing, but the sneering, leering Mayall also has the impish smile that allows him to get away with literally murder!

Sherman, stepping up from his normal part as a security guard, was word perfect and threw himself into the role with gusto.

But he was in a no-win situation, for only Mayall can hope to be excused for using the same old jokes about Cherie Blair, John Prescott and David Blunkett, because he has such a great rapport with his audience.

In contrast, the grinning Sherman reminded me more of a naughty Mr. Bean with his attempts at innuendo and physical comedy - i.e. unzipping whenever a woman in a short skirt appeared!

Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran need to inject more satire into their script, but they came up with a real cracker of a routine when Old Labour relic Frank (Garry Cooper) tried desperately to stop B'Stard using the C-word with Her Majesty listening on the phone.

And amid all the silliness there is some good knockabout fun as B'Stard cages Tony Blair (voiced by Jon Culshaw), compromises Gordon Brown, plots to bomb the BBC, helps Condoleezza find a new source of oil and tries to get rid of his wife as part of a master plan to become Prime Minister.

Helen Baker as new parliamentary aide Flora, and Lysette Anthony, as B'Stard's divorce-seeking wife were full of verve and sex appeal, but Alexandra Gunn's Condoleezza was a little too full on.

I preferred the more laid back performance of Kamaal Hussain as suicidal bomber Mr Habibi, although his threats lacked sufficent menace to deter the greed-driven B'Stard.