He’s a master of farce and he’s celebrating his 70th year in showbiz with an updated version of one of his favourite plays. Writer Ray Cooney speaks to What’s On as the show heads to two Kent theatres.

How does it feel to be celebrating your 70th year in the business (at 85)?

It feels like nothing. I started out as a 14-year-old boy actor and I’ve never got up any day of my life over the last 70 years and not looked forward to when I’ll be in a theatre, rehearsing, directing, performing or whatever. I love it.

Why do you have such a soft spot for Out Of Order?

All the plays have got lots of funny business in them, but Out Of Order has even more than usual. I won’t go into too many details about the story but there is a dead body in it, there’s a window that keeps crashing down and as usual there are three doors that keep opening and closing. And of all the plays, the choreography of this one is the most complicated. And with Out Of Order as long as politicians carry on misbehaving then we’re fine. That will never end; misbehaving politicians will go on forever.

Have you made any changes for the new production?

It’s changed a bit because it’s now an old-fashioned hotel that’s been modernised in Westminster. And we’ve brought it bang up to date so it’s Jeremy Corbyn now and Theresa May. They’re referred to. I keep asking the younger people about the references. For instance, there was talk of ‘the typing pool’ and I said “Is typing pool a bit old fashioned?” They said that it was, so maybe change it to Facebook, which was a good idea.

You’ve got a great cast. How important is it to get the right players for a piece like this?

Over the years I’ve been so lucky, working with actors like Donald Sinden, Richard Briers, Leslie Phillips, Bernard Cribbins, Michael Williams, Bill Pertwee, Tom Conti, Maureen Lipman, with all of them working as a team. It’s a lovely cast I’ve got here. They all love the play and they’re a team. You need a team. If it’s a drama, a comedy, a tragedy, a ballet, you need to work as a team – and maybe that applies to life too.

How does it feel when you’re sitting in a theatre listening to audiences roar with laughter at something you’ve written?

It’s the most wonderful thing. I’ll never forget when we first did Run For Your Wife at the Shaftesbury Theatre. I wasn’t there for a Saturday night performance and after the show Richard Briers, who was playing the lead, rang me up and said “It was terrible!” –because at a certain moment the audience just wouldn’t stop laughing. That’s the thing with these plays – dealing with the laughs. Luckily one surrounds oneself with actors who know how to deal with that.

DETAILS

Out of Order will be at the Orchard Theatre, Dartford, from Monday, June 5. to Saturday, June 10. To book, visit orchardtheatre.co.uk or call 01322 220000.

The show will head to the Churchill Theatre, Bromley, from Tuesday, June 20, to Saturday, June 24. To book call 020 3285 6000 or go to churchilltheatre.co.uk