HARBOUR Theatre has received a higher calling and is blessing its divine audiences with a heavenly stage production of The Vicar of Dibley.

Directed by Dr Jarrod Buttery at the Hamilton Hill Memorial Hall, it is an official stage adaptation by Ian Gower and Paul Carpenter based on the original 1990s TV series by Richard Curtis and Paul Mayhew-Archer.

The script spans the first two seasons with some later references thrown in, following the arrival and adventures of a new female vicar in a small English country town and finishing with the wedding of Hugo and Alice.

“The TV show is a classic because of its script and the iconic characters,” Dr Buttery said. “The play distils favourite scenes from the show and my cast is amazing with their commitment in bringing these characters to life.

“And that’s the important distinction between screen and stage – the characters are literally brought to life on the stage.

“The energy and enthusiasm of a live performance, coupled with a partnership with the audience about expectations, transcends images on a screen.

“We may not have Dawn French, Emma Chambers and the rest but we have the next best thing.”

Harbour Theatre normally operates out of the Mosman Park Memorial Hall (also known as “Camelot”) but, with a partial ceiling collapse last year, a new venue was needed for The Vicar of Dibley. 

“We have hired the Hamilton Hill Memorial Hall, which is a new venue for us that brings its own challenges, but the City of Cockburn has been very helpful and welcoming,” Dr Buttery said.

Involved in theatre for more than 30 years, Dr Buttery was one of the founding members of Blak Yak Theatre and has performed in a plethora of productions with Melville, Roleystone, Garrick, Limelight, Playlovers, KADS, Old Mill, Kwinana and Harbour Theatres.

He directed the first Terry Pratchett play to be staged in Australia and was named best director at the 2004 South West Drama Festival for his production of Heide’s Last Hit.

Over the past eight years, Dr Buttery has appeared in several productions with Harbour Theatre, including The Love List and On A First Name Basis, and has directed The Ladies Foursome and Picasso’s Women.

“A friend mentioned the stage version of The Vicar of Dibley in passing and it started the cogs turning,” he said.

“It’s one of those classic British sitcoms that almost everybody has heard of and usually brings a smile of recognition to their faces.

“The more I thought about it, the more I imagined how it could be done on stage and how much fun the cast and the audience would have. It roped me in and padlocked the chains!”

The Vicar of Dibley plays at 7.30pm August 30, 31, Sept 4, 6 and 7 with 2pm matinees September 1 and 8. Tickets are $24.50, $22.50 concession and $19.50 students – book at trybooking.com/CSJWH.

Harbour Theatre is located at the Hamilton Hill Memorial Hall, 435 Carrington Street (corner of Rockingham Road), Hamilton Hill.