The comedy clashes between Prime Minister Jim Hacker and his Permanent Secretary Sir Humphrey Appleby became famous in the 1980s as TV series Yes Minister attracted millions of viewers.

Almost 30 years later, the duo are back making people laugh about the world of politics, even if the real politicians often do not need any help.

Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn, the writers of the original TV series – which starred Paul Eddington and Nigel Hawthorne – have reunited to pen this stage show, Yes, Prime Minister, which is at the Theatre Royal next week.

It stars Glasgow-born Richard McCabe as the bumbling Hacker, with Simon Williams, of Upstairs, Downstairs and Holby City fame, as the wily Sir Humphrey.

However, while the main characters are resurrected and do not appear to have changed their ways, some things have changed since 1988, when the last TV show aired.

Hacker is again Prime Minister and his relationship with Sir Humphrey is disrupted now that he has his own special policy adviser.

In a world of spin, Blackberrys and 'sexed up' dossiers, the PM is staring disaster in the face.

The country is on the brink of financial meltdown and the Government's only apparent salvation comes from a morally dubious deal with the Foreign Minister of Kumranistan.

Should Hacker finesse a $10trillion loan from Kumranistan in exchange for being allowed to build a pipeline through Europe?

Just to complicate matters, the Kumranistan foreign minister is demanding the services of an underage female prostitute as part of the deal.

Meanwhile, the new PM has to cope with a threadbare majority, a crisis weekend at Chequers, a divided cabinet, a sinking pound – and the potential collapse of a European Council conference.

Yes, you've got it, Yes, Prime Minister is now a stage farce.

There are always difficulties in taking a 30-minute concept and transferring it to the stage; there has to be a strong storyline to seduce an audience who are used to gags every 30 seconds.

Or there has to be several plots running at the same time and that device, farce, is used here to create commotion and madness.

But there is also a truth, which the audience will recognise, exemplified in the scene in which Bernard, Hacker's parliamentary private secretary, replies to searching questions from the BBC's press office with a series of formulaic cliches.

And every one is instantly recognisable.

Fans of nostalgia will enjoy the content with its modern acknowledgements yet still offering a reminder of the 1980s.

n Theatre Royal, June 20-25, £13.50-£28.50. 0844 871 7647 or see www.ambassadortickets.com