Derek Jacobi Takes Voyage Around My Father to West End

Variety reports that the hit Donmar Warehouse production of John Mortimer's A Voyage Around My Father, starring Olivier Award- and Tony Award-winner Derek Jacobi, will transfer to the West End.

The autobiographical play will begin performances at Wyndham's Theatre on September 14th; it will take the place of the closing Sunday in the Park with George revival.  It ends it run at the Donmar on August 5th.  Arielle Tepper Madover, Matthew Byam Shaw, Act Prods., the Shubert Organization and David Binder will produce the commercial transfer.

The play "is the affectionate portrait of a son's relationship with his father (played by Jacobi). Growing up in the shadow of the brilliant barrister, who adored his garden and hated visitors, and whose blindness was never mentioned, the son continually yearns for his father's love and respect," according to press notes.  Thea Sharrock directs.

Knighted in 1994 for his services to the theatre, Jacobi is known as a preeminent classical actor.  He won a Tony Award for his performance in Much Ado About Nothing, and was nominated for his work in Breaking the Code.  Other Broadway credits include Uncle Vanya, Cyrano de Bergerac and The Suicide, while he is also known for his performance of the title role in the BBC miniseries "I, Claudius."  Last year, he starred in a hit London production of Schiller's Don Carlos.