A huge 1970s sitcom is set to make a return after decades away from screens.
The Good Life aired for four seasons between 1975 and 1978. It was written by Bob Larbey and John Esmonde and followed the midlife crisis of Tom Good, a 40-year-old plastics designer. Tom and wife Barbara decided to escape the modern "rat race" in favour of becoming "totally self-sufficient" in their suburban house in Surbiton.
Richard Briers and Felicity Kendal starred as the couple, while Penelope Keith and Paul Eddington played their neighbours Margo and Jerry Leadbetter. The neighbours were equally appalled and bemused by the Good's attempts to try and live off their land. Almost 50 years after the show ended, the story has been revived.
The Good Life will make its comeback on stage thanks to director Verity Ramsden. It is currently running at the Green Room Theatre in Carlisle and features new "twists and turns". The production company teased: "Jeremy Sams’ stage play, based on the hugely popular sitcom by John Esmonde and Bob Larbey, reunites the well-loved characters (not forgetting Geraldine the goat) as they get themselves into and out of scrapes – some old, some new, all hilarious."
Fans have already heaped on praise for the new show as one said: "Geat time at The Good life last night…great production and very funny xx." Another added: "We had a great time watching The Good Life on Tuesday. What a hoot! All the actors were good, but Felicity’s facial expressions were hilarious and Margo was brilliant – loved the dinner party scene! Well done everyone!"
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Someone else commented: "We really enjoyed last night’s (Tuesday) performance. Very funny and well acted by all on stage. The lighting effects were well used and what a lot of props!!! The Goat had a smashing role… well done to all concerned." back in 2021.
A version from Jeremy Sams was previously shown at the Theatre Royal in Bath. Following on from the success of the Good Life TV series, creators Larbey and Esmonde created a brand new star for Richard Briers and Michael Gambon. The Other One was a seven-part sitcom that aired on BBC1 in 1977.
It ran concurrently with The Good Life Special. Two years later, a second season aired. Last year, the Good Life star Dame Penelope Keith, revealed she could have brought the show to an even earlier and more tragic halt. The actress, who played insufferably loveable Margo Leadbetter Paul Eddington and Richard Briers with her homespun cooking.
“At the end of each series we used to go to one of the four of us’s houses for lunch on the last day of rehearsal. It was my turn,” she recalled. “We had chilli con carne, and I forget what else for pudding. And I followed the recipe. Then we did the next series, and I said ‘Where are we going to have lunch? You can come back to me’.
“‘No!’,” she screamed, imitating the response she got, mainly from Richard. “Paul then took me to one side...” He had been nominated to break the news that her cooking would not rival Delia Smith’s, to say the least. She added: “Dickie and Paul had ended up in hospital because I hadn’t soaked the beans and they’ve got arsenic in them!”
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