The production of Withnail and I at the Birmingham Rep is a triumph.  It`s also a commercial success because  the midweek opening night played to a full house. 

The audience gobbled up the play with cheers when Withnail made his first entrance followed by laughter at all the right moments and a standing ovation at the end of the performance.  

The Rep itself could have been the scene for a film setting with vintage Jaguar cars parked outside, the creative team on hand to discuss the evening`s performance, clips from the 1987 film produced by George Harrison`s company, Handmade Films and merchandise.  

Lights, camera, action.  

What was there not to like about this performance?  The period piece from London`s Swinging Sixties had meticulous attention to detail.  When the curtain rose there was a band playing Procul Harem`s Lighter Shade of Pale (they were also acting as various characters in the play - farmer, poacher and police officers) with various performances throughout the play from Cream, Jimi Hendrix and The Kinks. 

The sets were lush, the scenes beautiful and although there were some lengthy monologues the production was fast paced so you were always moving along with the narrative throughout the entire 2 hour and 20 minute production.    

When I saw the movie "Withnail and I" in 1987 it left me troubled because of it`s tragic elements.   It`s a British black comedy film written and directed by Bruce Robinson and based on his life in the late 1960`s in London.  It has been described as one of Britain`s biggest cult films.    

The plot follows two unemployed actors, Withnail and I featuring Richard E Grant and Paul McGann who share a flat in Camden Town in 1969.  They go on holiday in the Lake District and obtain a key to a cottage belonging to Withnail`s eccentric Uncle Monty played by Richard Griffiths.  

My troubles were in part because I had loved Paul McGann`s portrayal of the famous World War One deserter in "The Monocled Mutineer" and couldn`t imagine him in anything else.   Also it`s a desperately sad film which charts Richard E Grant`s character (Withnail) on a path to self destruction and oblivion.  He is a man who is finally defeated by rejection and failure while his companion, Marwood (played by Paul McGann) makes his escape at the end after securing an acting job.  The original ending has Withnail shooting his brains out with a shotgun.    

There`s also a depressing subtext - Richard E Grant is famously tea-total but he had to get drunk to play his character and was regularly sick during the filming of the movie.  If that was not enough, his wife had a miscarriage during production.  When they filmed the scene in the pub and Withnail looks teary-eyed as he says "My wife is having a baby" those are real tears.  It`s all in Richard E Grant`s autobiography, "With Nails".  

So - what about the premiere of the play at the Birmingham Rep?  The play is written by Bruce Robinson and directed by The Rep`s Artistic Director, double Olivier award-winner Sean Foley.    

It`s hilarious, tragic and wild - it`s a comedy like no other.  This stage adaptation brings to life the classic dialogue from the film, the insane situations and above all the boozy, drug-filled backdrop of the Swinging Sixties in London which are the backdrop of two young friends trying to make a living in acting.