Blackadder Goes Forth in Corporal Punishment, by Suffolk On Stage, King Edward VII Memorial Hall Newmarket, Suffolk,Friday May 1st To take on much loved characters with which the audience were already so familiar was a real challenge, but the cast of this special TV adaptation made the roles completely their own As the eponymous captain, Terry Smith perfectly captured the cynical, resigned air of a man surrounded by fools in a world gone mad.

Blackadder Goes Forth in Corporal Punishment, by Suffolk On Stage, King Edward VII Memorial Hall Newmarket, Suffolk, Friday May 1st

To take on much loved characters with which the audience were already so familiar was a real challenge, but the cast of this special TV adaptation made the roles completely their own

As the eponymous captain, Terry Smith perfectly captured the cynical, resigned air of a man surrounded by fools in a world gone mad.

Sentenced to death for shooting General Melchett's prize pigeon, his only hope of survival lay in the hands of the British Army two most incompetent soldiers.

Commanding the stage whilst behaving like an empty-headed buffoon James Lam as Lieutenant George was wonderfully stupid.

The biggest laughs however came courtesy of Jackie Jackson as private Baldrick, rubbish plans have never seemed quite so cunning.

A personal favourite of mine was Matthew Cotton as Corporal Jones who turned in an excellent comic performance and made the relatively small role a real highlight.

All concerned deserve a medal and should now stand easy.

Simon Talbot