READERS may remember the Yes Prime Minister TV series of the 1980s, > with that long gone there is now a play, which more than matches up to > the original.

> The story line of the play written by writers Antony Jay and Jonathan > Lynn follows Prime Minister Jim Hacker now in a coalition government > and trying to stop the UK's economy going into melt down by loaning > money from a little known oil rich state, namely Kumranistan.

> This hits a snag when the foreign minister in London to thrash out the > deal, is demanding an underage girl. Jim played by Richard McCabe, can > not let this happen but knows the country and the European Union need > the money and the oil to survive the global crisis. What can he do in > this situation with Cabinet Secretary Sir Humphrey Appleton, > brilliantly played by Simon Williams of Upstairs Downstairs fame, only > letting him know half the facts?

> Only the bumbling principal private secretary Bernard Wooley tells the > truth, by mistake, and his only real ally is special policy advisor > Clairer Sutton, played by Charlotte Lucas, who makes sure Hacker knows > what's really happening.

> The ensuing hilarity of how issues are brushed under the carpet is as > funny as any of the original TV series and is well worth seeing.