Stop Messing About

Genre: Comedy
Opened 22 April 2009
Written: by Johnnie Mortimer and Brian Cooke
Directed: Michael Kingsbury
Cast: Robin Sebastian (Kenneth Williams), Emma Atkins (Joan Sims) , Charles Armstrong (Douglas Smith) Nigel Harrison (Hugh Paddick), Keith Wickham (Sound Effects Man)
Synopsis: "Stop Messing About is set during a live BBC studio recording. This new revue is packed with outrageously funny sketches, parodies and songs. It revels in the outstanding talents of Kenneth Williams, his Carry On co-star Joan Sims, his long time colleague and friend Hugh Paddick and a talented BBC announcer Douglas Smith who plays all the parts nobody else wants."

What the popular press had to say.....
BRUCE DESSAU for THE EVENING STANDARD says, "There are certainly laughs to be had ...Stop Messing About reminds us how funny Williams was. It would be nice if it also hinted at what made him tick." MICHAEL BILLINGTON for THE GUARDIAN says, "Difficulty lies in the material. Much as I love innuendo, double-entendre and ingenious wordplay, I feel somewhat sated after nearly two hours of the stuff."JOHN THAXTER for THE STAGE says, "...a script of clever but finally laboured double meanings and repetitive double-takes." QUENTIN LETTS for THE DAILY MAIL says, "It makes for a jovial, short night out - good for those who like a beer at the interval and a laugh at far-fetched double entendres...There is nothing in the way of character examination or biographical discussion." CHARLES SPENCER for THE DAILY TELEGRAPH says, "Too many of the sketches here simply aren't funny enough, though there are some winning moments...I laughed a lot, but I never quite laughed fit to bust."

External links to full reviews from popular press
The Guardian
Daily Telegraph
Daily Mail