From Monday to Friday this week the Oxford Playhouse hosts the new Yes, Prime Minister. Anthony Jay and Jonathan Lynn’s well loved theme is brought right up-to-date with jokes about the coalition and the state of the economy.

On its first night in Oxford it was announced that Michael Simkins – in the lead role of Cabinet Secretary Sir Humphrey Appleby – was replaced for the evening by his understudy Simon Holmes. Fortunately, Holmes was spot on, delivering a sermon of obfuscation to thundering applause.

In contrast it was Graham Seed who, as Prime Minister Jim Hacker, missed lines: on at least two notable occasions cutting off other members of the cast. His character channels Rowan Atkinson’s Johnny English, but with more hysterical arm waving. Perhaps a little more subtlety is called for.

The scenery was particularly attractive, setting the play within a study at Chequers, complete with retracting projector screen and hidden doorway. Unfortunately a globe at the front of the stage – which, to be fair was used as a prop – obscured some of the action on the sofa.

The play was very well written. At any moment a new element, like the BBC or global warming, could be introduced with disastrous consequences. Without giving too much away, the scene where the gang try to figure out the best terminology to use when addressing The Almighty is particularly amusing.

Overall the play is well worth seeing. Since it has now been running for almost two years, I would be willing to bet that Yes, Prime Minister has plenty of life still in it.