Lyndhurst Drama and Musical Society 
Vernon Theatre, Lyndhurst
Darren Funnell 
19 April 2026
There’s something instantly comforting about settling in for a stage version of The Good Life. You arrive already knowing the world: the veg patches, the social awkwardness, and that quietly tempting fantasy of telling your job you’re off to raise piglets instead.
This adaptation by Jeremy Same, directed by Phil Rainforth, sensibly avoids trying to recreate the TV show line-for-line and instead lets it feel like a piece of theatre. Which is a relief, because two hours of impersonations would feel less like drama and more like a tribute night at a village hall. The result feels lovingly homemade, slightly chaotic in places, occasionally ambitious, but clearly built with affection and enthusiasm.
Steve Davis’s Tom Good is less ‘steamroller of enthusiasm’ and more ‘man quietly questioning every life decision that led him to this office.’ It makes his escape from corporate life feel relatable. I was mentally updating my LinkedIn status.
Opposite him, Cally Van Her Paul brings warmth and a mischievous sparkle to Barbara. There’s a lovely sense she’s enjoying the adventure while Tom is busy worrying about piglets, which feels suspiciously like a very accurate marriage dynamic.
Then come the Leadbetters and, let’s be honest, everyone waits for Margo. Sarah Short absolutely understands the assignment: immaculate posture, razor delivery, and the constant air of a woman one inconvenience away from a breakdown. Every entrance will get a ripple of anticipation. Chris Wilshere’s Jerry is slightly more ponderous than usual. He gives off strong ‘not entirely sure how this happened’ energy, while still staying the right side of an essential middle-class twinkle.
Multi-role duties fall to Chris Davis, who looks like he’s having an excellent time switching between Pigman, Sir, Doctor and Policeman. His “Sir” arrives, causes chaos, and leaves before anyone can recover. Stevie Parker is good fun as Felicity (and other roles), Margo’s theatrical nemesis. The hills are alive with the sound of dischord.
Visually, the split set between the Goods and the Leadbetters, created by Rob Davis and Brian Buck, works beautifully. It’s clear, clever and easy to follow. The only downside is that when everyone piles onto one side, the cast can feel like they are crammed in at rush hour. The sheer volume of props is handled impressively smoothly, and anyone who’s ever tried carrying more than two champagne glasses, or some rather dubious cake, at once will appreciate the effort involved.
Music pops up throughout and, at first, it isn’t quite what you expect. But as the show goes on, you realise it’s part of the director’s wider approach. By the end, it makes perfect sense and quietly ties everything together as a last hurrah.
Familiar moments from the original story appear just often enough to feel like comfort food, and they are enjoyable to recognise. And then there’s Geraldine the goat, who frankly threatens the entire cast’s job security. Nothing humbles a group of actors faster.
All in all, this is warm, funny and gently nostalgic. It captures the charm of the original without trying to live in its shadow and it leaves you with the pleasant reminder that the dream of escaping modern life to churn Gertrude’s butter still sounds pretty appealing (if not tasty).
If you are tempted, it’s probably wise to move quickly tickets are selling fast (unsurprisingly for such a well-loved show), and it would be a shame to miss out. Treat yourself to a familiar ride on a rotary cultivator and maybe leave with the dangerous idea that you, too, could probably manage a few chickens and a vegetable patch. What could possibly go wrong?
