Post Office sock-puppet musical cancelled by school over links to Paula Vennells
A Post Office sock-puppet musical, set to be hosted by a school where Paula Vennells was a governor, has been cancelled over “sensitivities”.
The former Post Office chief executive was portrayed as an action man doll in the production, which was scheduled to be performed at a festival sponsored by Bedford School.
However, July’s performance of Post Office Scandal: The Musical, devised by comedian Kev F Sutherland, will not go ahead at the Bedford Fringe Festival following a decision to axe the show last week.
Ms Vennells was previously a governor at the private boys’ school, which charges up to £14,746 per term for sixth form boarders.
The former chief executive stepped down from the role after a seven-year tenure in April 2021, days after 39 former sub-postmasters prosecuted by the Post Office during the Horizon scandal had their convictions quashed.
More than 900 sub-postmasters were wrongfully prosecuted after the faulty software incorrectly reported shortfalls on their branch accounts.
Mr Sutherland was inspired to base his latest Scottish Falsetto Socks show on the scandal after watching the ITV drama series Mr Bates vs The Post Office.
The drama depicted former sub-postmaster Alan Bates’ fight for justice, which ended in a High Court battle victory against the organisation.
Following successful shows in Leicester, Mr Sutherland was set to take the musical to the Bedford Fringe Festival, which is sponsored by Bedford School, in July.
Yet last Tuesday - a day before Ms Vennells was due to give evidence to the Post Office Horizon IT inquiry - Mr Sutherland received a call from James Pharaoh MBE, a director of the Bedford Fringe.
Speaking to The Telegraph, Mr Sutherland said: “I believe it was the first time Bedford School would have seen the brochures for the show.
“What happened is the school consulted James and said, ‘We don’t think this is an appropriate show,’ for reasons that were explained to them.
“He told me that it had been explained to him that Paula Vennells had been a school governor and that the school would be embarrassed and would rather the show didn’t go on.”
There is no suggestion Ms Vennells interfered with plans for the festival performance.
Mr Sutherland stressed that while the subject of the musical was heavy, it did not make fun of the victims of the scandal and portrayed Mr Bates as a hero.
He said: “In a show like this you don’t mock the victims, you mock the people who have done something wrong.
“Paula Vennells is played by an action man and we have one scene where she sings the Shaggy song It Wasn’t Me.”
Mr Sutherland has since reached a compromise with the Bedford Fringe and will instead perform another sock puppet show, entitled “Superheroes”.
He is also set to take his Post Office musical to other venues, including Ludlow in June and the Edinburgh Fringe in August.
The comedian added: “My view is that if they hadn’t done anything, it wouldn’t have drawn attention to it - as not many people would have known she was a governor at the school.
“I don’t like an artist or a producer having his work interfered with or his credibility questioned.”
Giving evidence to the inquiry in May, Ms Vennells broke down in tears on several occasions and repeatedly apologised for her role in the scandal.
Over three days the ordained priest failed to recall some key details and conversations she was questioned on, saying she was “too trusting” of some executives at the business.
Next week ex-Post Office chair Alice Perkins, who is married to former foreign secretary Jack Straw, will give evidence to the inquiry.
A spokesperson for Bedford School said: “Post Office Scandal: The Musical” has been replaced with another show by the same company, in order to respect widespread sensitivities at the current time.”
The Telegraph has approached the Bedford Fringe Festival for a comment.