It’s a risk, transferring a successful 40 minute TV format to the stage for nearly three times that duration. It also compels comparison with the original scripts and cast.

But Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn have not lost their touch, nor their collective ear for political absurdity, hypocrisy and double talk.

One of the original TV cast, Derek Fowlds, who played principal private secretary Bernard Woolley on television, lives near Bath and it would be interesting to know his opinion of the new play.

It is set in the present day, although does not embrace a coalition government.

Jim Hacker is the PM, in crisis, with a divided cabinet, a European summit at Chequers, and an envoy from Kumranistan (somewhere between Turkey and Afghanistan) offering trillions to run an oil pipeline around Europe.

He’s the golden goose who could save the European economy. Unfortunately all he lays for Hacker are bad eggs.

Richard McCabe is a tour de force as Jim Hacker, pontificating on his ideals and quivering when confronted by harsh political reality.

Yet he actually emerges as a stronger character than his Cabinet secretary Sir Humphrey Appleby, the devious, self-serving civil servant, played with tremendous aplomb by the elegant Simon Williams who won spontaneous applause for his mastery of the convoluted verbosity of Sir Humphrey under pressure.

Chris Larkin as Bernard Woolley was probably the least convincing but I think he simply suffered from comparison with Fowlds, who dithered with more style.

Larkin delivered his punch lines perfectly.

Charlotte Lucas was a feisty Claire Sutton, Hacker’s special policy advisor, heartily mistrusted by Sir Humphrey.

Topical political jokes abounded earning cheers and applause.

Satire is alive and well.