“WE have nothing to gain or lose personally,” says Cabinet Secretary, Sir Humphrey Appleby, in the stage production of “Yes, Prime Minister”, coming to the Canberra Theatre soon.

Thousands of public servants climbing “the greasy pole” will relate to this, but it’s far more likely to be the Virgil-quoting Principal Private Secretary, Bernard Woolley, with whom Canberrans will feel the most in common.

Co-writer of the play and the BBC TV series, Jonathan Lynn, in Australia for the play’s Melbourne opening, tells me: “Bernard is the one character who undergoes a serious change in the play.”

Early on, the sincere Bernard, to the horror of Sir Humphrey, says: “I believe in democracy”. But he is learning fast. At first shocked by the pejorative epithets such as “the Micks and the Polacks”, used by PM Jim Hacker (Mark Owen Taylor), he learns to cope.

I spoke to John Lloyd Fillingham, the English actor now living in Australia who plays Bernard. He believes the comedy in “Yes, Prime Minister” is so accurate that it could almost be the work of a government insider and for that reason, audiences in Canberra will have a particular perspective on the show.

“At the beginning of the play Bernard has a strong moral compass,” Fillingham tells me, “but it is interesting to see how this develops through the play.”

Lynn agrees, adding: “Bernard starts out taking the moral high ground, but by the end of the play he is ready to be promoted – as Humphrey says, he’s grown up.”

Producer Andrew Guild tells me he hopes “Yes, Prime Minister” will signal “a return to the era of commercial comedies”.

The play is the first collaboration for scriptwriters Lynn and Antony Jay in 24 years, the main difference from the TV series being the necessity to move from the 28-minute TV format to a full-length play.

Though first staged in London during 2010, it seems to be about 2012. Set at Chequers, the British Prime Minister’s country residence, the script is packed with references to EU problems, the GFC, illegal immigrants, the 24-hour news cycle, spin doctors, global warming and (special emphasis for Australia) minority governments.

Fresh characters include the “tough, cynical and very intelligent” Special Policy Advisor Claire Sutton, played by Caroline Craig. As well, there is the Director General of the BBC, played by former Canberran Tony Llewellyn-Jones, who will take over from Philip Quast as Sir Humphrey at the end of the season here.

But we should give Fillingham, as Bernard, the last word. His advice for Canberra’s public servants? “Develop a willow-like passivity.”

“Yes, Prime Minister”, Canberra Theatre, March 21-24. Bookings to 62752700.

PHOTO: John Lloyd Fillingham… the Virgil-quoting Principal Private Secretary, Bernard Woolley.