From the creative mind of Spike Milligan, and immortalised by The Two Ronnies, the award-winning theatre company Hambledon Productions is proud to present the first ever tour of a brand new stage adaptation of ‘The Phantom Raspberry Blower of Old London Town.’
Something is rotten in Old London Town…
In Victorian England, a rotten, raspberry blower is claiming the lives of the upper-classes. The dark alleyways and moonlit graveyards of London are alive with the repetitive dins of the Phantom.
Inspector Corner of the Yard and his faithful sidekick, Sergeant Bowles, are fed up with these din-dins. The case is afoot. Will the Phantom be uncloaked? All will be revealed… particularly if the Phantom uncloaks himself.
Made famous by The Two Ronnies, this Jack the Ripper parody is raspberry-jam-packed with Spike Milligan’s and Ronnie Barker’s love of surreal absurdism, clever puns, near-the-knuckle ribaldry, quick-fire jokes and famous wordplay.
Celebrating the 50th anniversary since its original broadcast in 1976, this newly adapted stage play brings the Phantom back to life like never before.
Spike’s daughters, Jane Milligan and Silé Milligan, commented with: “We wish ‘The Phantom Raspberry Blower of Old London Town’ every success on its travels around the provinces. May the theatres be full, the raspberries ripe, and the audiences helpless with laughter. If the Phantom strikes again, we trust he will do so with impeccable timing and proper respect for Victorian Nonsense.”
Ronnie’s daughter, Charlotte Barker, on behalf of Handles for Forks Ltd, added: “The estate of the late Ronnie Barker is delighted that ‘The Phantom Raspberry Blower of Old London Town’ is returning to terrorise London and beyond. His return is welcomed with the largest raspberry that Ronnie could possibly have blown! We hope as many people as possible can catch the show (and the villain!)”
The original Milligan script was first produced for television in 1970 as a one-off special starring Ronnie Barker. Barker himself, under his pseudonym A. Gentleman, extended the story into the 6-part serial, co-starring Ronnie Corbett. The show has now been reworked by adapter and producer John Hewer: “We’re excited to be preserving so much of the original productions, while presenting the work to audiences who may only know the material through clips and reputation. The original concept, the authentic Milligan style, and the many embellishments from Barker, all deserve to not only be remembered, but to be enjoyed further by young and old audiences.”
‘The Phantom Raspberry Blower of Old London Town’ is touring from 2nd September – 16th November 2026, and is being performed at the Crown Wharf Theatre on Friday 4th September, 7.30pm.
Tickets available at www.crownwharftheatre.co.uk.
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