Review of The Brittas Empire at Stantonbury Theatre, Milton Keynes

Those old enough to remember may have recollections of the nineties sitcom The Brittas Empire, written by Richard Fegen and Andrew Norriss. Starring Chris Barrie, the wacky series follows the exploits of Gordon Brittas, the man with a dream and a leisure centre in Whitbury New Town to fulfil it, despite the numerous consequences that result. I loved it, and when I heard that MKTOC (Milton Keynes Theatre of Comedy) were to produce the world premiere of the stage show at Stantonbury Theatre, I had to be there to see it.

Adapted by Steve Clark (who also directs) and Emma Dell (who also plays the neurotic Helen Brittas), they have put together a loving and fully understanding script based on stories and situations from many episodes, which are ideally suited for the stage.

Taking on such a unique show is dangerous for both adapters and cast. Still, the group has perfectly pitched the characters so that they are instantly recognisable from those we remember on screen.

Rob Simpson takes on the seemingly overwhelming challenge of channelling the nasally annoying Gordon played back in the day by Barrie to perfection, and he doesn't fail. While not constantly capturing his voice, he provides enough mannerisms, both vocally and physically, to make the character the Gordon we remember. Even better is Dell's Helen Brittas, who is twitchy and awkward and every bit of the person we remember as played by the excellent Pippa Haywood.

Jodie Commercial plays the out-of-her-depth Carole ably, constantly on the edge of breakdown, dealing with reception, a child in the drawer and a pet kitten, Biggles, missing in action. Michael Hutchinson as Tim and Stephen Johnson as Gavin are brilliant together as the bickering duo, failing to hide their obvious relationship from everyone but Gordon.

The final mention from the constantly excellent cast is Garvin Martindale's brilliant portrayal of the classic character Colin, who is never far from a new ailment and the worst at personal hygiene. Martindale is, like his character, superb.

Production is top-notch in terms of design, with a superbly devised set that constantly stages reception, changing rooms, and Brittas's office while still leaving room for some other location action within the theatre space. The attention to detail is superb, with nineties planners, notices created, and some brilliant animal cameos to bring more humour to proceedings.

Overall, The Brittas Empire is enormous fun. Brought to the stage with an evident love of the source material and by a hugely talented team. It's well worth seeing, whether you have memories of the original or just want to see what crazy sitcoms we had in the nineties. I will not be surprised if this lives as a show beyond the run in other groups' hands, as it deserves the chance to continue to allow Gordon's dream to go on.

A fantastic re-imaging of the classic nineties sitcom for the stage, with immense attention to detail.
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Performance reviewed: Tuesday, 29th April 2025, at the Stantonbury Theatre, Milton Keynes.

The Brittas Empire is at Stantonbury Theatre until Saturday, 3rd May 2025 (including Saturday matinee).

For further details about Stantonbury Theatre, see their website at https://www.stantonburytheatre.co.uk/

For further details about MKTOC, see their website at https://www.mktoc.co.uk/