Some jokes just don’t date.

Fans of the ‘70s comedy sitcom, Some Mothers Do ‘Ave Em, will remember chuckling at Frank Spencer’s clumsy but amiable ways – rounded off with a few “Ooh, Bettys”.

Nostalgia’s so in right now, so it’s fitting that the show is being reinvented as a stage show, with the original writer’s blessing.

And the lead role was also one which writer Raymond Allen also sanctioned – that of Higham-based Joe Pasquale. Infact the writer near insisted on it, according to the Kent comedian.

Speaking at the launch of the Orchard Theatre’s new season brochure, in which the show features, he said how Raymond had been very careful about his leading men, offering the original TV part to Norman Wisdom and Ronnie Barker, who both turned it down, before settling on Michael Crawford with phenomenal success.

For the stage adaptation, when Raymond was approached, Joe said how his performance, and some unfortunate mishaps, in Monty Python’s Spamalot in the West End, had given director Guy Unsworth the inspiration to cast him.

“He said “You’re so like Frank Spencer” and then “If we had the rights would you be interested in doing it?” And so we went to Ray and asked about the rights for it on stage, and he said “I have been asked many times before but it has to be the right person.” And he thought I was it.”

“This is my home town so to bring it to this theatre will be wonderful,” he added.

He also told the audience how Frank’s costume was taken directly from Ray, who wore a beret.

The famous theme tune composed by Ronnie Hazlehurst, included Morse Code.

He said: “We’ve tried to capture all that and tried to put it in. For two hours you genuinely will laugh,” adding: “In rehearsals it’s been difficult to get through the day because we’ve just been laughing and laughing.”

Some Mothers Do ‘Ave Em will be at the Orchard from Tuesday, May 8 to Saturday, May 12.

The evening also heard news that the theatre’s pantomime, Aladdin, had already sold 8,000 tickets – despite it being nine months away.

The theatre will also be welcoming Quadrophenia star Phil Daniels to the stage in Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde between Tuesday, March 13 and Saturday, March 17, and Let It Be popular Beatles tribute act from Monday, October 15 to Saturday, October 20 and the girls from the Little Mix Experience on Saturday, June 2.

Spamalot – though not with Joe this time – will be in Dartford between Saturday, April 24 and Saturday, April 28 and David Walliams’ Gangsta Granny returns from Wednesday, May 23 and Saturday, May 26.

To book for any of the shows, which include comedy, music, wrestling and thrillers, go to orchardtheatre.co.uk or call 01322 220000.

Some Mothers Do 'Ave Em will also be at the Assembly Hall Theatre, Tunbridge Wells and the Churchill Theatre, Bromley. Click here for details.