Thanks to the Oscar winning performance from Colin Firth, we all now know the incredible story of stammering King George VI and his antipodean speech therapist Lionel Logue.

And that is perhaps the biggest problem with the new joint Chichester Festival Theatre production, The King’s Speech.

Based on the film’s script – which was originally intended as a play – the production runs through many of the same scenes and sequences as the movie.

That is not to say it is not entertaining, just that there is a sense you know exactly what is coming next.

Both Raymond Coulthard (King George VI) and Jason Donovan (Lionel Logue) are fantastic.

But again, as they rattle through some of the same sparkling dialogue as the film, you cannot help but feel they are not quite Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush.

The production does allow for some additional character and plot development.

For example, more is made of Edward VIII’s admiration of Hitler and there is room for Winston Churchill, Archbishop Cosmo Lang and Stanley Baldwin to develop as members of the King’s inner circle.

However, more was needed to make this better than a mere stage production of the film – albeit a rather enjoyable one.