REVIEW: DIGGING UP APPEARANCES at The Old Red Lion Playhouse 6–7 February 2026
"a sharp, affectionate, and deliciously twisted comedy-horror that knows exactly when to wink at its audience… and when to bite"
★★★★
DIGGING UP APPEARANCES is a gleefully macabre act of theatrical resurrection that drags one of British sitcom’s most recognisable figures out of the grave and lets her loose on-stage. The result is a sharp, affectionate, and deliciously twisted comedy-horror that knows exactly when to wink at its audience… and when to bite.
Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced Bou-quet) has accidentally been raised from the dead by her son Sheridan, who is going through emotional turmoil in the wake of a failed marriage. Unfortunately, death has done little to temper Hyacinth's obsession with status, etiquette, and candlelight suppers - even if she’s now developed an inconvenient penchant for human flesh… albeit served on Royal Doulton.
Told from the perspective of Sheridan recounting events to his therapist, the play unfolds as a surreal confessional, steadily revealing the circumstances of Hyacinth’s unexpected reanimation and its increasingly grotesque consequences. This framing device works beautifully, allowing the narrative to slip between farce, horror, and genuine emotional notes, all while maintaining a brisk, confident pace.
Jack Robertson - also the writer - plays the dead hostess with the mostest, and his performance is the production’s undeniable triumph. He captures Hyacinth’s vocal rhythms and physicality with uncanny precision, yet crucially avoids mere impersonation. This Hyacinth feels fully alive, with a fresh, wicked edge that makes her as unpredictable as she is recognisable. For fans of Keeping Up Appearances, the in-jokes land with joyful satisfaction; for newcomers, the character still delights, horrifies, and commands the stage with ease.
The writing is taut, confident, and richly layered, blending wordplay, physical comedy, parody, and pitch-black humour with impressive dexterity. Jokes come thick and fast as the script builds towards an ending that is both fiendishly surprising and gruesomely rewarding.
This is a two-hander, and the chemistry between the performers is strong, anchoring the absurdity in something recognisably human. The performances are sublimely timed, with razor-sharp comic instincts throughout. Design elements are used with restraint and intelligence: lighting and sound create atmosphere, snap into tension when required, and then pivot effortlessly back into comedy. It’s a masterful tonal balancing act.
The packed Old Red Lion audience responded with warmth and riotous laughter, a testament to how successfully the production bridges nostalgia and originality. DIGGING UP APPEARANCES is an entertaining rollick - unapologetically silly, smartly written, and gleefully dark.
The comedy goddess Patricia Routledge may rest in peace - but thanks to this show, the character she immortalised, Hyacinth Bucket, very much lives on.
Medium Rare Productions presents
DIGGING UP APPEARANCES
The Old Red Lion Theatre
6–7 February
