Director Peter Rowe

A bubbling and witty comedy about pants, life, love, property development and getting the show on …

Unassuming and recently widowed Guy quickly becomes a local heart-throb when he joins Penton Amateur Dramatics rehearsals of The Beggar’s Opera and gets whisked along in a whirlwind of backstage politics and scorching affairs. Catapulted into the limelight, soon everyone wants a piece of him and Guy just can’t say ‘no’ to anyone, no matter how bizarre their demands might be!

This beautifully constructed satire features some of Ayckbourn’s most memorable characters from power-crazed Welsh director Dafydd and his desperate housewife Hannah, to seasoned swingers Fay and Ian.

This is the first Mercury Theatre Company production of a play by Sir Alan Ayckbourn, winner of 7 Evening Standard Awards, 9 Olivier Awards including Best Comedy for A Chorus of Disapproval.

We are excited to be joined by another of the UK’s most highly respected regional theatres to bring you this “brilliant and mordant comedy of an innocent growing up fast” (The Observer), penned by the country’s most successful playwright.

Mercury favourites Christine Absalom, Miranda Bell and Roger Delves-Broughton are joined by Julian Harries who has written, directed and performed in many Eastern Angles Christmas productions.