I’m Sorry, Prime Minister
Audio described performance: 7th March 2026 at 7.30pm
Signed performance: 19th March 2026 at 7.30pm
Captioned performance: 2nd April 2026 at 7.30pm
Based on the sitcoms “Yes, Minister” and “Yes Prime Minister,” characters Jim Hacker and Sir Humphrey Appleby meet again, this time over events at a college committee meeting.
I’m Sorry, Prime Minister
Offer expires: Mon, 13th April 2026
Book between: Fri, 10th April 2026 and Fri, 8th May 2026
Buy best available premium price £165, top non-premium price £110, second price £85, third price £65, fourth price £40 or fifth price £25 tickets (from agency / offer allocation) reduced to £120 / £90 / £70 / £60 / £30 / £20 each at all performances EXCEPT Saturday Afternoons.
Original ticket prices may vary by performance, and some prices are not available on all dates, the system will advise at time of enquiry.
Seats at second price may be in the rear stalls (ground level), dress circle (first tier) or upper circle (second tier, second highest in venue) and may have a restricted view. Seat information. Please do not purchase if this is not acceptable to you.
Some "peak dates" are excluded - the system will advise at time of enquiry.
Ticket selection is from agency's allocation. Subject to allocation availability, change, withdrawal and agency discretion.
(seen at the afternoon preview performance on 11th February 2026)
The monkey is far too young to have appreciated the original television sitcom “Yes, Minister,” the source for the lead characters. It also passed on other re-inventions. This is, therefore, its first encounter – beyond the odd TV clip when one of the original cast passes away.
From what it could see of the audience, if you are a fan, you will understand every back reference and classic line incorporated and will enjoy the show enormously.
It will be at least a four, probably a five-star night out, and the monkey endorses wholeheartedly your opinion. You may stop reading now. It’s great, the monkey knows it is nirvana for fans. Discussion closed.
For those unfamiliar, is this simply an enjoyable comedy at West End prices?
The augers are good. Lee Newby comes up with a wonderful Oxford Master’s Lodge. Huge windows, bookshelves packed with political biographies, floorspace full of intriguingly labelled filing boxes from Downing Street. The soft furnishings are comfy, only the kitchen oddly modern yet dilapidated. And there’s a stairlift for a giggle.
We can quickly name-check Mark Henderson’s lighting, Ringham Brothers for sound and Leo Flint for lovely snowfall video. Not a lot wrong there.
Stephanie Levi-John may be landed with an horrifically stereotypically written role as a “Care Worker,” (dealt with degradingly by writer Jonathan Lynn – more on that in a bit), but Levi-John can act. Really act.
By the interval, half the audience were trying to hire her to look after them. Only question is why Lynn – also directing – had her place clean laundry in a downstairs toilet.
William Chubb as Sir David has a simple role and plenty of time for backstage snoozing. No problems with timing or performance.
Same goes for Clive Francis as Sir Humphrey. A couple of moments where he gets maximum laughs from a tired comedy routine, you cannot quibble.
Sadly, Griff Rhys Jones proves to have a distressing lack of judgement or integrity. An actor of his standing could easily refuse to get a cheap laugh from dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease. Explain to the bone-headed Lynn who wrote the lines that they are unacceptable and distressing. He chose to go with it, and lost the monkey at the top of the first scene.
Quite honestly, the entire script is little better. Full of contradictions like the laundry sequence. For example, if the snow is that bad, how did Sir Humphrey’s driver make it through? Why is a Black, Lesbian woman having an Oxford degree in any way a subject for amusement? Why does the entire script change gear in the final scene to suddenly attempt (crassly) any kind of modern reflection?
The whole thing is dated and predictable. Jokes are telegraphed in pre-90s sitcom fashion, following the rhythm of actors speaking at, rather than too, each other – as the original TV series does. It works in close-up on a 21 inch screen for thirty minutes, but becomes quickly frustrating in a theatre over two hours.
It takes almost 45 minutes to begin addressing a slim plot laid at around the 15 minute mark, and another 45 minutes to peter out, flailing around the rim of a plot-hole the width and depth of the Grand Canyon - and damaging badly the credibility of at least two characters in the process.
Simply, if you are a “Prime Minister” completist, you will want to be here. If you are not, it is a safe miss without any fear whatsoever.
Helen Taylor:
Wed, 4th February 2026I'll admit it was nostalgia for the original Yes Minister / Yes Prime Minister that saw me book this production. Overall, it was 'ok' and I did laugh several times, but it felt like the plot turned on quite a flimsy device. It might have made a reasonable half hour comedy episode but just felt a bit too thinly stretched out to sustain a 2 hour theatre production.
The performances were good, and a note in the foyer said Princess Donnough would be playing Sophie instead of Stephanie Levi-John; she certainly didn't put a foot wrong and arguably had a harder job than the male leads, as she handled the majority of the props as well as having a decent share of the lines.
A nice touch at the end was the acknowledgement of the writers of the original series Jay and Lynn; and the original cast of the tv series.
Overall though, I couldn't help thinking the whole thing could have been wrapped up in a little over half the time, and it felt like a wasted opportunity. The ending, when it came, felt a little over simplified; I was expecting a different outcome, but that's probably why I'm not a playwright.
Seats (E12, stalls):Central, in the stalls. Decent rake (although luckily someone short was in front of me) so there no trying to dodge heads in front, as the seats weren't offset. Leg room was adequate for a 5'10" theatregoer. An excellent view of the stage.
The monkey advises checking performance times on your tickets and that performances are happening as scheduled, before travelling.
| Run Time: | 2 hour 15 minutes, including one interval |
| Monday: | X |
| Tuesday: | 7.30pm |
| Wednesday: | 2.30pm, 7.30pm |
| Thursday: | 2.30pm, 7.30pm |
| Friday: | 7.30pm |
| Saturday: | 2.30pm, 7.30pm |
| Sunday: | X |
Venue Box Office & Current Prices
0330 333 4809Venue box office details and show price charts are available on the Apollo Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue page.
TodayTix
TodayTix. Charge between 10% and 20% booking fee per ticket. Discounts are often available as this is a large global ticketing company with this specific aim.
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Lovetheatre.com. Charge around 10% booking fee per ticket. They are owned by Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG) and often have good deals on shows at ATG venues.
See Tickets
See Tickets. Charge around 10% booking fee per ticket, plus £2.75 per booking (not per ticket) postal charge. They are owned by ticketing group Eventim.
Ticketmaster
Ticketmaster.co.uk. Charge around 8% to 10% booking fee per ticket. Handling fees may also be added. This is the largest ticketing agency worldwide.
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Address: Shaftesbury Avenue, London, W1V 7HD
Box Office: 0330 333 4809
More details: Seats to buy or avoid at this venue plus travel information and other details can be found on the Apollo Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue page
