Live Comedy

Hancock's Half Hour: The Lost Episodes

Callum Hale as Bill Kerr, John Hewer as Tony Hancock, and Ben Craze as Sid James. Image shows left to right: Ben Craze, John Hewer, Callum Hale
Play
  • 28th Aug 2023 - 15th Nov 2023

In 1954, Tony Hancock burst onto the airwaves of the BBC Light Programme with a comedy show unlike anything the British public had heard before. Playing a less successful version of himself and surrounded by a cast of fellow comedy greats including Sid James, Hattie Jacques and Kenneth Williams, Hancock's Half Hour was one of the first programmes in the genre we now know as sitcom.

Written by young up-and-comers, Ray Galton and Alan Simpson, who later went on to create Steptoe And Son, Hancock's Half Hour redefined radio comedy and has had people laughing non-stop for the past 70 years.

Now, fans can experience the magic of Hancock and friends live, courtesy of Apollo Theatre Company, who have specialised in bringing classic radio comedies to the stage since 2015, including productions of Round The Horne, The Goon Show and a previous tour of Hancock's Half Hour in 2019.

This production focuses on the 'lost' episodes - those for which the original recordings no longer exist. These episodes were recently recreated on BBC Radio 4 as The Missing Hancocks and this new show will see Apollo Theatre Company's team interpret the scripts in their own exciting way.

Credits

John Hewer Tony Hancock
Ben Craze Sid James
Callum Hale Bill Kerr
Alice Osmanski Andrée Melly
Colin Elmer Kenneth Williams
Clive Greenwood BBC Announcer
Ray Galton Writer
Alan Simpson Writer
Tim Astley Director
Tim Astley Producer

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